Ryukaze: Dragon Wind
by Lanse
Summary: The moment she met him, she knew she wanted nothing to do with him. She knew those eyes could see everything that shouldn't be seen. NejiOC, hints of NaruHina, SasuSaku.
1. Little Unobtrusive Things

A/N- It's alive! (smacks with spatula) Not anymore...

Hello all! My sincerest apologies for my absence from posting. It has been a very difficult year but I won't bore you with details. I also apologize to all of my fans who were hoping my next post would be a Kenshin fic. I have not abandoned RK, but I was just so happy to be writing again after so long that I didn't care what my muse demanded and this is the result.

I did my best to keep everyone in character but please keep in mind that this story takes place when the characters are 19-20, so there will be some differences. I have taken all of my references from Wikipedia(dot)org and my personal knowledge of the anime. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the anime Naruto nor the characters thereof. The original character Sorano, however, is of my own creation.

**_Ryukaze: Dragon Wind_**

**Little Unobtrusive Things**

**Chapter 1**

_"Though I did not know the place, I set out for the land of my dreams. Having arrived at the land of my dreams, I found I did not know the place." -Kino's Journey_

It had been an awful lot of trouble for one little scroll, but if there was one thing about being Anbu that Hyuuga Neji had come to understand, it was that the little unobtrusive things caused the most problems, were the most dangerous. Still, his team suffered no casualties and few injuries. He couldn't ask for more than that. Well, maybe a hot shower and some of Hinata's tea, then he would be content.

Upon entering the quiet halls of the Hokage's tower, he pushed the blue-striped Anbu mask up on top of his head. While he appreciated the anonymity the mask gave him, wearing something over his face for so many days on end was irritating. Honestly, how did Kakashi put up with it?

Knocking three times on the Hokage's office door, he waited patiently until he heard her call him in. There were fewer piles of scrolls, he noticed as he closed the door behind him and crossed the short distance to the large desk. Shizune must have been on her all week to get this much work done.

"That was faster than I expected," Tsunade said as she folded her hands under her chin. "I assume everything went well?"

Neji fought the urge to grimace. "Well enough," he said as he handed her the scroll. She would get to read the details in his written report. That was sure to be entertaining…but he might leave the part about the chickens out. He would be picking feathers out of his hair for a week.

"Good," she said as she set the scroll aside, her amber eyes flickering over his shoulder.

Neji's brow creased at the gesture before following her glance. He would spend the rest of his day wondering how he never sensed her presence.

The woman seemed oblivious, leaning against the window staring out over Konoha. A lesser eye would have missed the tension threaded through her seemingly indifferent posture like a tightly coiled spring.

Her hair was the purest white he had ever seen, pulled up into a soft bun with two blue chopsticks holding it in place. He had seen Tenten use senbon for the same purpose. Shorter strands feathered around soft, innocent features, but there was an unmistakable sadness in the crease of her eyes.

She wore no weapons, so he wondered if she might be a client. For certain she was not from Konoha. He would have remembered crossing paths with someone like her, ninja or not.

"Sorano," Tsunade spoke and the clearest, bluest eyes turned towards them. "This is Hyuuga Neji, Anbu Captain."

Neji glanced sideways at Tsunade to find her staring intently at him with a faint smirk.

"Sorano will be staying with us for a while," the buxom woman said. "If she decides to remain, I'm hoping to convince her to join the ranks."

A finely sculpted brow arched over pearlescent eyes as he glanced back at the snowy-haired woman. There had been a lot Tsunade didn't say and he had a feeling she was trying to bait his curiosity, rather successfully too. There was nothing about Sorano that indicated her to be a kunoichi, yet Tsunade had indicated her skills to be of interest to him. It hadn't escaped his notice either that she had pointedly left out a family name.

Sorano, for her part, did not seem the least bit pleased with the situation. She shifted uneasily under his scrutiny, wrapping her arms around herself to ward off a chill only she felt. But her eyes did not flinch from his gaze, the only indication that there was much more to her than this surface innocence.

"Welcome to Konoha," he said finally and she inclined her head slightly but did not deign to reply.

Turning back to Tsunade, he found amber eyes alight with amusement. "Take tomorrow off, Neji," she said. "You've earned it."

"You will have my report in the morning," he said before leaving with a respectful bow and one last glance at the silent woman who was once more staring out the window._ Little, unobtrusive things…_

* * *

"You know I can't," Sorano said the moment the door clicked shut on the Anbu Captain. 

"You would be surprised what can and cannot be done in Konoha," Tsunade murmured wryly as she shuffled through papers.

Sorano sighed as she stared out over the Hidden Leaf Village. It was a warm, welcoming place…and large. It had been years since she had been around so many people and she wasn't certain she was ready for it. But she liked the vibrant colors and variety of architecture. It gave the village a life of its own. She could almost deceive herself into believing peace could be found here.

Another knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and this time she turned away from the view, hoping it was Shizune. Any more time spent with the Godaime would only result in another unpleasant disagreement. The woman was headstrong and determined to have her way despite Sorano's concerns and insecurities.

"Tsunade-sama, here is the key you requested," Shizune entered the office, her little pig tucked snugly under her arm.

"Good, give it to Sorano. I think you will like it there," Tsunade said with a suspicious sparkle in her eyes. "You will have interesting neighbors."

Sorano wasn't willing to even try to figure that one out.

But after a half hour of wandering about the village, she decided she should have at least asked for directions. At this rate she would be sleeping in a tree again.

"Are you lost?"

_Maybe sleeping in a tree isn't such a bad idea,_ she thought as she glanced up into the pupil-less eyes of the Anbu Captain. He had discarded some of his uniform, basically the arm guards, vest and mask, so she assumed he was off duty and drawing way too much attention in his direction. The sleeveless black shirt hugged his muscular frame, and her eyes couldn't help trail along the breadth of his shoulders to the dark Anbu tattoo on his well-formed deltoid. It was like nature's way of saying "hands off", but the ogling girls on the corner didn't seem to pay any mind. His stoic, unwelcoming expression was all that kept them at bay.

"You've been going in circles," he said when she remained silent.

Ocean blue eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "You've been following me?"

One fine brow arched in the closest expression to 'duh' the man would ever make.

Sighing at her stupidity, the man **was** Anbu after all, she handed him the piece of paper Shizune had scrawled the address on.

Neji smoothed out the crinkled paper and nearly smirked. "Your new apartment?" he asked.

"Yes," she admitted, shifting her small pack on her shoulder. "Am I at least close?"

"You're in the right village," he said and was rewarded with an irritated scowl. Sorano snatched the paper from him and started walking only to have him snatch it back.

"You're going the wrong way," he said and started off down the street.

Sorano rolled her eyes before running to catch up with the handsome pain in the neck.

"What brought you to Konoha," he asked when she caught up with him.

"Tsunade," she said, but didn't elaborate.

"You know her well?"

Sorano glanced at him before shrugging her shoulders as if shifting a great weight. "She knew my father," she finally said and something in her posture told him it wasn't a safe topic.

"Did she pick out this apartment for you?" he asked as he stared down at the paper in his hand.

"Why?"

A faint smile flickered across his lips too fast to be seen. "Your days are bound to be interesting. It's the same building as Naruto."

"Naruto?"

"Elite jonin. You'll meet him soon enough."

Sorano decided that didn't require a reply and focused instead on her surroundings. It wouldn't due to get lost again.

Neji watched her from the corner of his eye as he led her from one road to the next. She didn't miss much, her blue eyes constantly shifting from people to buildings to road signs. She wasn't as short as he first thought, the top of her head just surpassing his chin, making her slightly taller than his petite cousin. But she was unnaturally thin, pale, trail-worn…and wary.

He had been on his way home from Anbu headquarters when he saw her strolling down the street glancing intermittently from the paper in her hand to the road signs. If Tsunade wanted him to keep an eye on this one, then now was a good time to start. It became obvious that she had no idea where she was going after the first ten minutes. A simple question of a passerby would have solved her dilemma, but it soon became apparent that Sorano was rather leery of people in general. He should have expected that from the way she folded into herself when Tsunade introduced them.

But she didn't flinch when he approached her and her quick scrutiny of him had been surprisingly emotionless. He didn't consider himself particularly vain, but he was more than aware of his numerous admirers. There wasn't a single glint of appreciation in those remarkable blue eyes and if he were any other man, he might have been insulted.

Her voice was deceptively soft and pleasant, like the rest of her, but she had spirit and if his presence intimidated her, she hid it well. She wasn't shy when speaking to him either, but didn't say more than necessary, an admirable trait really. He wondered what her reaction to Konoha's number one hyperactive loudmouth ninja would be.

"Here it is," he said as he stopped before the building. "Naruto's on the top floor if you need anything. Look's like you're right beneath him." He handed the paper back to her.

"Thank you, Hyuuga-san," she said.

He bowed his head slightly. "Good day, Sorano-san."

She watched him walk away for a moment before looking up at the building before her with a hesitant smile. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *


	2. Curious Shinobi

A/N- I didn't intend to update again so soon, but my posting was on a Saturday and I wanted to get my weekly update schedule settled on a different day. Besides, I thought everyone might like a good dose of Naruto. Thank you for all who have reviewed (I shall endeavor to keep Sorano from becoming a Mary Sue) and I hope no one has expired from shock that I've started writing again.

Disclaimer: Neither the anime Naruto nor any of the characters thereof are mine, however the OC Sorano is.

**Curious Shinobi**

**Chapter 2**

When Sorano woke up the next morning it took her a moment to remember where she was. Rarely did she have the privilege of sleeping in a bed. Her body ached in protest at the unnatural night of comfort.

She rather liked her new apartment. It was small and cozy with a kitchenette and a table for four. It all blended with the living space, a single bed pushed into a corner and a desk near one of the windows. There were several of the bright portals brightening the place, softening its appearance.

Stretching her arms above her, Sorano took a few minutes to work out the kinks in her back and loosen her stiff limbs before dressing for the day. Her personal mission was to locate the market, secure foodstuffs, and if possible, some new clothes. Actually, that last part had been more of an order from Tsunade. She didn't really have room to argue anyway since she only had two outfits to her name and they were well worn, almost threadbare.

Tsunade had given her a small loan until she situated herself and ordered her to use it. Odd that was, taking a loan from the legendary sucker, but sometimes it was a lot easier to just do what the woman said.

So with money in her pocket, Sorano pulled her door shut and tucked her key away. She had just reached the top of the steps when a black and orange blur nearly mowed her down.

"Whoa!" she heard as two strong hands grabbed her shoulders and spun her around and away from a tumble down the steps. She had barely caught her breath before she glanced up into a pair of sparkling sky blue eyes.

"Well, hello!" the whiskered blonde smiled cheerfully. "I'm sorry I didn't see you there. Are you looking for someone?"

Sorano took a step back and he let his hands drop to his side as he watched her expectantly.

"I just moved in," she said, pointing to her door. If possible, his smile brightened.

"We're neighbors, then! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!" he grasped her hand and gave it a hearty shake.

Sorano blinked before shyly returning his smile. "I'm Sorano."

Bright blue eyes squinted in thought as he stared at her. "You must be new to Konoha. I'd remember you otherwise, I'm sure."

"I tend to be unforgettable," she agreed. "I just arrived yesterday."

"Cool! Did you eat yet?"

Sorano blinked again at the sudden change in subject. "No, actually. I was just—."

"Great!" he cut her off as he grabbed her hand and proceeded to drag her down the steps. "I'll take you to the best place in town, my treat! Hope you like ramen!"

Wide-eyed at the blonde's exuberance, she willed her legs to move faster to keep up with his rapid, long-limbed strides. She was beginning to see why the Anbu Captain said her days would be interesting being this one's neighbor. He was the most cheerful, out-going person she had ever encountered.

"Naruto-san—."

"No need to be so formal, Sorano-chan," he grinned down at her. "We're neighbors after all. Here we are!"

Sorano looked up as he pulled her into a noodle bar and plopped down onto a stool. She sat beside him with considerable more grace.

"Everyone in Konoha knows that Ichiraku ramen is the best!" Naruto grinned at her. Much to her chagrin, she found his cheer contagious.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun," the old man said.

"Morning, old man!" Naruto beamed. "This is Sorano-chan. She's new!"

"So I see," the old man said with a laugh. "Hello, Sorano-san. What would you like?"

"I don't know. What do you recommend?"

"The miso is my favorite," Naruto said, "but they're all great!"

"I'll have the miso, then," Sorano smiled.

"Me too!" Naruto agreed.

"Two miso it is," the old man smiled.

"So what brought you to Konoha, Sorano-chan?" Naruto turned to her with those sparkling eyes.

Elite jonin, Hyuuga had said. Well, Naruto was the most amiable ninja she had ever met and his inquisitiveness was utterly innocent and sincere, unlike the Anbu Captain who was obviously, with all the Anbu's subtlety, fishing for information. If she couldn't sense the fierce chakra literally radiating from the whiskered blonde, she never could have believed him to be dangerous.

"Sorano-chan?"

She shook her head and smiled. Spacing out like that was becoming a bad habit.

"Tsunade-sama asked me to come," she said. It was the simplest explanation.

"You know Granny Tsunade, huh? That's cool."

Sorano arched a brow at the 'affectionate' name for the legendary san-nin. "She knew my father. I haven't really seen her in years."

"Oh," he blinked at her owlishly, but the awkward moment about to seize them was chased away by the arrival of the ramen.

Naruto practically drooled over his bowl, but waited patiently for Sorano to take her first bite.

"Wow," she murmured after she swallowed.

Naruto laughed. "Told you," he said.

"Hm," she said as she gave her full attention to the first real meal she had had in weeks. A pleasant, companionable silence settled over them.

_I could get used to this_, she sighed when she sat back and glanced over to see Naruto was on his second bowl already. The guy could probably clean off six bowls easily with an appetite like that. Tsunade meant for their paths to cross, she realized then. The woman promised not to interfere with her life, but she wasn't above subtle manipulations in the least.

Naruto sighed like a contented cat as he pushed the empty bowl away. "There's no better way to start the day," he grinned.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said.

"No problem," he said cheekily. Did his cheer never dampen? "Say, what are you doing today?"

"I need to find the market and get some food, and a few other things, why?"

He squinted in that adorable, thoughtful manner again. "I'm heading out to the training grounds. If you wanna come, you can meet some of my friends."

He sounded more like a hopeful six-year-old rather than a grown young man, she thought with amusement.

"I would like that," she said.

"Great!" and he once again dragged her off into the streets of Konoha.

By the time they reached the training grounds, Sorano decided she liked Naruto, and that was a very dangerous thing. It left her feeling uneasy, jumpy even, and she hoped he didn't pick up on the change. He kindly took her on a round about tour through the market place so she could find her way later after she explained about getting confused the day before. She only had to be shown the way once to be able to find it again.

His nonstop chatter gave her a most informative view of the benefits of ramen to ninja training, something she never considered before. _It has to be the carbs, _she decided as they descended into a field where a dark haired man was throwing kunai with lethal precision at a marked post.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto hollered.

"You're late, Naruto, again," Sasuke turned around, narrowing his dark eyes at the woman beside the blonde. Her steps hesitated briefly at his glance, but she gave no other signs of being affected. _Not a fan-girl,_ he thought with relief.

"Picking up strays, dobe?" he asked with an arrogant smirk.

Naruto scowled. "It might kill you to try, but be nice for a change, Sasuke. Sorano-chan is new to Konoha."

"New, huh," he glanced her over slowly, from the tips of her toes to her feathered white hair. A stiff wind could blow this one away. She was pretty in an innocent way with deep, ocean blue eyes, and that unusual snowy-colored hair was something any girl would envy. _Trophy girl, weak, useless,_ he thought, but when his eyes locked with hers after his inspection, the slightest narrowing of blue gems told him she knew exactly what he was thinking. _Interesting._

"Ninja?" he asked bluntly.

"Not really," she said.

A dark brow quirked at that, and on a whim he palmed a kunai and flung it at her with blinding speed.

Sorano didn't blink as the kunai nicked her cheek, slicing a few wayward strands of hair before imbedding in the tree behind her. Naruto stood wide-eyed beside her, shocked at what Sasuke had done. Before either man could react, Sorano raised a slender finger and brushed at the thin stripe of blood welling upon her cheek. She apathetically stared at the crimson contrasting against the paleness of her skin.

"I don't want to interfere with your training, Naruto," she said in that infinitely gentle tone of hers as she glanced up at the blonde. "I'll see you later."

"Later," Naruto murmured in a daze as she turned and walked away. When she was across the field, Naruto turned on Sasuke, eyes sharp and narrow with anger. "You have three seconds to explain yourself, Uchiha, before I pound you into next week," he snarled.

"Did you see that, dobe," Sasuke ignored the anger rolling off his friend and rival. "She didn't even flinch."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked in confusion.

"Sasuke's right," Neji said as he leaped down from the tree above from where he had been watching. He had only been passing by when he saw Sorano and Naruto approaching Sasuke. "She knew he was going to miss."

Naruto scowled at the Anbu Captain. "So what, you think she's a spy or something?"

"Probably," Sasuke mused. "She hides herself well."

"She's not a spy," Neji said as he pulled the kunai from the tree. He had expected her to dodge it. Few had eyesight capable of following trajectory to that degree.

"How can you be sure," Sasuke demanded. "It's obvious she's trying to hide what she is."

"And what exactly is that, Sasuke?" Naruto growled as he crossed his arms. "She didn't say either way if she was a ninja or not."

"Tsunade-sama wants her to join our ranks so I'm sure she has some skill, but she didn't seem too eager about the idea," Neji said as he flipped the kunai back to Sasuke.

"Where is she from?" the avenger asked.

Neji shook his head. "Tsunade-sama isn't giving on this one. If we want answers, we have to get them from the source." The two prodigies immediately turned to stare at Naruto.

"What," he asked warily, then, "Oh, no. I am **not** doing your dirty work this time."

"She likes you, moron. You are probably the only one she'll talk to," Sasuke growled.

Naruto scowled. "I don't like this. She's a nice girl."

"You don't know that."

"Oh yes I do," he said and then glared at Neji. "If she was a threat, Neji wouldn't be standing here talking to us."

Sasuke glanced at his Anbu comrade with a raised brow.

Neji sighed. "I can't detect even an ounce of malicious intent in her, but neither do I like the idea of working with someone I know nothing about."

Both men frowned at that.

"But you said she doesn't want to join the ranks," Naruto said.

"Tsunade-sama seems intent on changing her mind. Whatever her skills are, the Hokage made a point to get her here for a reason."

"I really don't like this," Sasuke muttered.

"Humph. You aren't the one who has to ply her for information," Naruto grumbled. Yeah, he would do it, but he didn't have to like it. Neji was right about one thing. It was dangerous to work with someone you didn't know, couldn't trust. Besides, he had to admit to being a bit curious himself.

* * *

Naruto shifted uneasily in place for a few minutes before clenching his jaw and glaring with fierce determination at his opponent. He was Uzumaki Naruto, Kyuubi vessel and future Hokage. He refused to be intimidated! He would not back down! He would not be defeated!

Clenching his fist, he raised it and…knocked firmly on the door. The longest ten seconds of his life crept by before the door swung open.

"I brought you a housewarming gift," he beamed as he thrust the little plant towards his snowy-haired neighbor. "Sakura-chan said that's what you do when someone gets a new place. She gave me a plant once and I thought it was cool but it died when I was on a mission so I got you one of those plastic ones so you won't have to worry about watering it!"

He knew he was babbling, but he couldn't help it. The moment her cerulean eyes locked on his, all his courage flew to the wind. He was about to launch into the specifics of why he chose this particular plastic plant (the wispy white flowers reminded him of her hair), when she suddenly smiled.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said. "Do you want to come in?"

The blonde was startled by the invitation. "Eh, sure!"

Her apartment wasn't much different from his, cleaner and more barren, of course. Neji said she didn't appear to own much, and on reflection, her clothes were seriously worn. A few bags from local clothing stores were on her bed and something delicious was cooking on the stove. He sniffed appreciatively at the aroma and tried not to drool.

"Whatcha making?" he asked curiously.

Sorano set the cute plant on her desk. "Curry chicken. Want some?"

His stomach rumbled and he blushed. "You sure you have enough?"

She laughed softly as she returned to the stove. "I'm sure. Plates are over there." She waved a spoon towards a cupboard. "So who's Sakura?" she asked while Naruto retrieved the plates and cups.

"She's part of our team. Me and Sasuke, that is. She's the best medic-nin in the village, after Granny Tsunade, of course. But, the old lady did train her after all."

"That's impressive," Sorano said as she moved the pot to the table and dished out a healthy serving onto Naruto's plate.

"Wow, you made a lot," Naruto observed with wide eyes. "It's like you were expecting some…one…" he faded off as he glanced up at her uncertainly.

"For elite ninjas, your friends are pathetically predictable," she said as she sat down across from him and served herself. "Feel free to tell them I said that."

It was the amusement in her eyes that put him at ease. "You're not mad?" he asked warily.

She shrugged indifferently and he sighed with obvious relief before taking a huge bite of the chicken.

"Wow, this is great," he exclaimed before shoveling down half the plate.

"I'm glad. It's been a while since I've cooked like this."

"How come?" he asked between bites.

"I never really stayed in one place too long. This is all rather novel for me," she waved her chopsticks at the apartment.

Naruto paused to take in the sobering of her eyes. "Hey, you don't have to, you know, tell me anything if you don't want to," he said gently.

Sorano smiled. "I have to give you something to report to those two busybodies and I know you're curious too."

"But—."

"I'm not a ninja," she cut him off as she got up to fill his cup with juice.

"Then how did you—?"

"I'm not _officially_ a ninja in the fact that I've never had formal training," she said as she set his cup down. "I'm not from a shinobi village. I'm not from any village, really," she said and sunk down into her chair. "There's not much else I can tell you about that."

"Granny Tsunade seems to have a lot of faith in you."

"Yeah, scary, isn't it," she murmured as she poked sullenly at her food.

"Neji said she wants you to join our ranks," he prodded gently.

Her brows creased. "It wouldn't be a good idea."

"Why?"

"It's…complicated."

Naruto watched her poke forlornly at her food. "You know, you shouldn't take it personally," he said. "It's Neji's job to be suspicious, being an Anbu Captain and all, and Sasuke's suspicious of everyone. They really are good guys once you get to know them. Well, Neji is. Sasuke's just a jerk but he's got issues."

"So I've noticed," she said dryly.

Naruto laughed nervously as he glanced at the scratch on her cheek. He still owed the man a solid beating for that. "Yeah, well, he's got his good points too. Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is don't let anyone push you into doing something you don't want to do. And if you change your mind, well, I'll help you in anyway I can, kay?"

He really was a nice guy, so heartbreakingly genuine. _There must be a lot of pain behind that smile._

"Agreed," she said. "Now, eat up."

Naruto laughed. "You don't have to tell me twice!"


	3. Enigma

A/N- I apologize if this chapter seems a bit short compared to the last one. My first few chapters are a little uneven like that but soon they will all hit on about 10 to 12 pages each.

Disclaimer: Neither the anime Naruto nor the characters thereof are mine. However, Sorano is.

Enjoy!

**Enigma**

**Chapter 3**

The two prodigy geniuses of Konoha watched with growing irritation as their whiskered friend strolled casually towards them, not that one could tell from their carefully blank expressions, but Naruto wasn't fooled as he deliberately slowed his pace and started whistling an absent tune. He enjoyed their squirming, and they **were** squirming in that subtle eye twitchy I'm-not-going-to-flinch way.

"Enough with the theatrics, Naruto," Sasuke finally growled, his patience infinitely less than the Hyuuga's when it came to the fox boy.

Naruto only grinned wider. "Why, Sasuke, could it be you are seriously interested in the lovely Sorano-chan?" Oh, he was going to die for that for sure, but you only lived once.

"Spill it, Naruto." Okay, so maybe Neji's patience wasn't **that** much greater.

Naruto shrugged. "Well, I can tell you one thing for certain," he paused and the two men leaned imperceptibly closer, waiting for conformation of their suspicions.

Naruto grinned again. "She is one awesome cook! She made this curry chicken that was amazing! It was almost as good as ramen!"

Neji and Sasuke groaned.

"Don't tell me she didn't say a word," Sasuke grumbled.

Baby blues blinked innocently. "Well sure, she had a lot to say. Did you know that they don't have ramen in the Snow Country? No ramen! I would just die!"

"So she's from the Snow Country," Neji said.

"No, why? What gave you that idea?"

Sasuke glanced at Neji. "Can't you just interrogate her?"

It wasn't like he hadn't considered it, but…"Tsunade would have my head."

Naruto laughed. "Wow, she was right. You guys really are pathetic. Well, she said you were pathetically predictable, but still I never thought I'd see you two so riled up over a girl!"

Neji stiffened. "What do you mean predictable?"

Naruto folded his arms behind his head and grinned cheekily. "Yeah, she saw you coming a mile away. If she were anything like Sakura, I'd be her new doormat right now."

"Some genius plan," Sasuke muttered. Neji merely glared at him.

"So she didn't tell you anything," the Captain said.

"Oh, she told me a lot of things," Naruto said. "I'm just not going to tell you." Despite his cheeky grin, there was a glint in his eyes that assured his friends he was serious.

"This was a waste of time," Sasuke said.

"Not really." Naruto stared thoughtfully towards the forest. "You can be certain she's not a threat to the village."

"And we are suppose to trust your judgment?" Sasuke scoffed.

Sharp blue eyes turned on him. "I was right about you, wasn't I?"

Sasuke blinked, grunted, and glanced away. It was annoying when the idiot was right.

"Besides, if Granny Tsunade wants to convince Sorano-chan to join the ranks, she's really got her work cut out for her."

Neji frowned. "She's really against it?"

Naruto's brows furrowed. "I don't think it's that simple. I just have a feeling is all."

"Could you please be more vague?" Sasuke said.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing she did say." A foxy grin curled his lips as he rolled up his sleeve. "She said your aim was off, that you didn't intend to cut her, but that's not going to save you."

"What are you—," the avenger's words were cut off sharply with a fist.

* * *

Sorano frowned at the newspaper as she circled another ad. Work opportunities were more sparse than she anticipated, and dull. It wasn't that she was a thrill seeker, quite the opposite really. She just had a tendency to get restless, a result of her ceaseless wanderings in the last eleven years. This was only her third day in Konoha and she was hoping to find something to keep herself occupied before the wanderlust hit.

There were a number of restaurants hiring, including the one directly across from the quaint little café she was currently sitting in, but as she watched the comings and goings of the customers, she decided waiting tables was not a good idea. There was too much exposure and though she was abnormally tolerant and patient, she wasn't a people person. That really slimmed down her options.

"Ninja missions always pay well," a deep, even voice spoke above and behind her.

Sorano didn't bother to glance up. "Stalking is not an acceptable hobby," she said as she circled something about dog-walking.

"My sparing partner is currently being thrashed," Neji said as he glanced over the options she had circled.

"I'm sure he deserves it," she muttered absently.

Neji silently agreed, but decided Naruto was the better man for the job. He always did have a flare for chivalry. Plus, it would give him some time to check up on Konoha's latest enigma.

There was something about what Naruto said, or more accurately what he **didn't** say, that bothered him. Sorano obviously told Naruto something to convince him that one, she was not a threat to the village, and two, the possibilities of her becoming a ninja of the Leaf were very, very slim. It was the unknown reason why that kept niggling in the back of his mind. Naruto had his suspicions, that much was obvious, but he wouldn't even share that much with them, which could only mean one thing. Naruto felt she needed to be protected.

Strange. From her he could sense confidence and profound tranquility, some insecurity with people in general, but not vulnerability. Perhaps she was just better at hiding things than he anticipated, even from his all-seeing eyes.

"Is there something you need?" Sorano finally looked up at him.

He blinked his pale eyes at her. "No, why?"

The middle of her forehead creased slightly before she sighed. "Sit down and make yourself useful."

"Useful?" He took the seat across from her at the small table, concealing his amusement with well-practiced ease. She always seemed so irritated with him.

Sorano pushed the paper towards him. "Find me a job that doesn't involve pointy objects or excessive contact with people."

His lips twitched to contain a smirk. "Picky, aren't you."

"I have standards," she said with a shrug. Honestly, if the man was going to pop up wherever she went, she might as well make use of his presence, not that it was impossible to bear. He was clearly off duty, wearing a traditional fighting kimono that only served to add to his aristocratic features, and his rich, coffee brown hair that had been tied up high when they first met was now down and considerably longer than hers. Even she had to admit Hyuuga Neji was **very** pleasant to look at.

Oblivious to her musings, Neji glanced over the classifieds. _Slim pickings._ "How are your organizational skills?"

"Fair enough, why?"

"Are you fond of books?" he asked.

"Depends on the content."

He smiled faintly at that, wondering if Kakashi's favored book series would qualify. "There's an opening at the library."

Sorano snatched the paper back. "I didn't see that."

"It's not in the paper," Neji said.

"Then how…"

"My cousin helps out there when she's not at the hospital."

Sorano scowled. "You could have said something sooner."

Neji fought the urge to laugh at her disgruntled pout. "Come on. She's probably there right now."

He was having too much fun at her expense, she decided, but followed him anyway.

The library was centrally located, a large dome shaped building with books and scrolls piled half-hazard around the floor and shelves. It was warm and welcoming and Sorano could imagine spending a great deal of time there, if she didn't get eaten alive by the mountains of tomes just waiting to bury an unsuspecting passerby.

"Neji-niisan," a softly pitched voice chirped happily as a pretty young woman with the same bright eyes as the man beside her materialized from the maze of shelves.

"Hello, Hinata-sama," Neji greeted with a soft smile.

Hinata's lavender shaded eyes focused on the woman beside him and she smiled shyly. It was unusual to see her serious minded cousin in the company of a woman other than herself and those he worked with, so she couldn't help being curious. This one was slightly taller than her and had such unusual white hair. She would have felt intimidated by the penetrating blue eyes if not for the gentle smile offered her.

"I'm Sorano," she said as she bowed formally. The gesture surprised her as much as it did the Hyuuga's. Those age-old instincts should have been dead, but she knew a prestigious clan member when she saw one. It was a handy icebreaker just the same considering Neji's unveiled surprise and Hinata's blush.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Hinata said. "I've never seen you around before."

"She's new to Konoha and in need of a position," Neji said.

"Oh!" Hinata clapped her hands excitedly. "I will get Taka-san immediately!"

Sorano watched her scamper off with amusement. She had to be the cutest thing she had ever seen. "Is she always this flighty?" she asked.

"She's improved a lot over the years," Neji said. "She hardly stutters now."

"I really don't see the resemblance," she murmured and he blinked at her in bewilderment before noticing the mocking smile she was trying to suppress.

"Funny," he grunted.

"Hm." She moved way to peruse the shelves.

_You are just full of surprises, aren't you_, Neji mused as he watched her gracefully pick her way around precariously balanced stacks of scrolls, occasionally pausing for a closer look at a text of interest. The last thing he expected from her was a glimmer of clan etiquette. Had they been in a formal setting, he was certain she would have pulled off the exchange flawlessly. _But how did she know…ah_. His formal addressing of Hinata was a habit he was never able to break. Sorano sure didn't miss much, did she? So she was a woman of breeding, but she seemed to have left her family name behind her. Why? What other secrets was she harboring?

"Do you like books?" an aged voice broke the silence and Neji glanced towards the old librarian shuffling along beside Hinata.

"Better than people, sometimes," Sorano said as she to turned to smile at him. "More trustworthy, I think."

Taka-san chuckled. "That they are. Hinata-san tells me you are looking for a position. Are you a ninja?"

"Not really," she said in the vague, evasive manner Neji was becoming used to. What was 'not really' supposed to mean anyway?

"In that case, I can certainly use a dedicated hand in putting some order into this mess," he gestured wildly at the stacks of books and Hinata ducked to avoid his flailing arms.

"I'm up to the challenge," Sorano said.

"Good, good. Hinata-san, why don't you show…eh, what was your name?"

"Sorano."

"Sorano. Show Sorano-san what you've done so far."

"Hai, Taka-san."

"I will leave you to it, then," Neji said. "I have a sparring partner to revive."

"Goodbye, niisan," Hinata smiled.

He waved absently and left the two girls alone in the foyer of the library. After the doors closed, Sorano immediately turned to Hinata.

"Niisan?" she asked.

The raven-haired girl blushed. "Neji was raised by my father since his own died when he was young."

Sorano suddenly felt uneasy knowing such a personal thing about the pale-eyed Anbu Captain. "Why don't you show me what you have done so far."

"Sure," Hinata smiled.

Sorano followed her through the twists and turns of the library, filing away every bit of information she offered all while reflecting on things not entirely her business. If Hyuuga Neji was raised by Hinata's father, then his mother was no longer for this world either.

_Looks like we have much in common already_, she sighed mentally. And that was exactly why she hated learning intimate facts about anyone.

* * *

I decided to post my replies here because I don't trust the fanfic server (it breaks down way too often), and if the replies are at the end of the chapter, they don't interfere with reading. Besides, not everyone leaves signed reviews and I don't want to leave them out.

To my readers:

**Hongse-** Nice name by the way (chuckles). People tell me I'm good with OC's, but I'm always glad to hear when another reader approves of my character. I try to make them easy to identify with. You really think my writing is smoother? I personally can see a big difference between these first few chapters and those that come later because I started writing this story when I had just come out of a very long, very dry spell. Some of it doesn't meet my expectations, but then we all are perfectionists when it comes to our own writing.

And I don't pander for reviews because I understand that many people are either too tired to review (like me sometimes) or honestly don't know what to say. I'm just happy to see that people are reading and enjoying my story. That's the only reason I post anyway.

**Lieutenant Laqua Quacker…-** I like wacky reviews. They always make me smile. At this point, I would be feeling a bit sorry for Sasuke…

**Anonymous-** Thank you. I promise to make my next fanfiction an RK because I know so many enjoyed Oni and are eager for more.

**Aether Rogue­-** I hope I can keep everyone interested. I feel like things move a wee bit slow in the first few chapters because of introducing different characters, but there is a whole lot of meat to this story later on. I don't like to rush character relationships because it always seems so unrealistic if I do.

**Vir M.-** I kind of got lost on the road to life…but a handsome, silver-haired guy with an orange book showed me the way back.

**Sakuya**- I don't want to say exactly how many chapters are in this story, but it is longer than my other stories. However, if I finish writing an RK fanfiction (I promise to start working on it in January) I will probably start posting it while I am still posting Ryukaze. I feel bad for keeping everyone waiting for so long, but my brain often refuses to cooperate these days.

**Silver Fantasy-** I'm glad you like Sorano. This story originally started out very different and I had trouble making it work, but I had already fallen in love with Sorano as an OC and I refused to give up and finally she agreed to write the story herself, as my characters usually do. The thing I like the most about her is that she is very expressive, much like Naruto but in a calmer manner. You will find out in later chapters why she is like that.

**xKillerxShinobix-** Thank you. I hope I can keep you enthralled. I will update once a week (sometimes sooner if the spirit moves me) so you know to look for it.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my story **: D**


	4. Hope is a Bowl of Ramen

A/N- It was impossible to give all of the Naruto characters a substantial part in this story, so a few of them will be popping in for cameo appearances every now and then like in this chapter and the next. I tried to make it as seamless as possible so that no one is wondering, "Where did they come from?" By the way, Shikamaru is really hard to write. I mean, how lazy can you make the guy?

Oh, and you might like to know that Sorano's name means "Of the sky." There's a reason why I picked that to be her name so keep it in mind for later chapters. I think it gives her a bit more depth and it has a lot to do with her heritage.

Disclaimer: Rose are red, violets are blue, I don't own Naruto, but Sorano I do.

Enjoy! (sorry about the lame poetry)

**Hope is a Bowl of Ramen**

**Chapter 4**

Dragging herself up the steps to her apartment later that evening, Sorano paused when she spotted the bruised ninja sitting against her door.

"I hope the other guy looks worse," she said as she took in the black eye.

"You better believe it," Naruto grinned and then winced.

Sorano shook her head as she walked the last few steps. "You should go to the hospital and get that fixed."

Naruto stiffly pulled himself up so she could unlock her door. "Sakura-chan refuses to heal any injuries received from a scuffle between me and Sasuke," he pouted. "She thinks it's a good incentive for us to not fight."

"Apparently it doesn't work," she said wryly as she pushed the door open.

The blonde shrugged and winced again. "I'll live."

"I'm sure you will," she laughed softly. "Sit down and let me have a look."

Naruto knew better than to argue with a woman when she had that speculative look in her eye. Sorano tipped his head back and to the side as she inspected the damage.

"Looks nasty, but I've seen worse. You don't have anything more serious like a busted rib or something, do you?"

"Nah. Sasuke does, though, but Sakura will take pity on him by tomorrow, damn Uchiha," he muttered sourly. "I'll be wearing this shiner for a week."

Sorano bit her lip thoughtfully. "Doesn't sound fair."

"Yeah, well, she's been in love with the guy for years. Can't beat that," he pouted.

"Ah, well then, can you keep a secret?" she asked and he blinked owlishly at her.

"Eh, sure."

"Close your eyes."

He stared at her suspiciously for a moment before he did. "Okay, now what?" He waited silently for a moment before he felt a familiar tingling entering his skin. His eyes flickered open in surprise to see a soft blue glow encompassing half his vision. An intense look of concentration enveloped Sorano's gentle features as she fed chakra into the bruised tissue, slowly healing the damage around his eye. Within minutes, the pain was gone and the bruising barely visible.

Finally the glow faded and she pulled her hand back to admire her work on the handsome young face.

"How did you do that?" Naruto asked in wide-eyed awe.

"I know a little bit of this and that," she said with a smile, "but I can only heal minor injuries." Her vision blurred suddenly and she grasped at the chair to steady herself.

"Whoa," Naruto jumped up and grabbed her shoulders. "You better sit down," and he promptly pushed her into his vacant seat.

Sorano blinked rapidly, trying to push back the oncoming dizziness while Naruto pulled up another chair and studied her warily.

"I think you used too much chakra," he said finally, "but I don't understand how. Sakura-chan uses that technique all the time and she said it doesn't take much chakra."

"It doesn't," Sorano agreed. "I'm just badly out of practice."

"Eh?" _If her chakra control is this bad, then why would Granny be so eager to have her as a ninja?_

Sorano smiled faintly as she read his confusion. "I've been suppressing my chakra for years," she said. "Tsunade hopes I'll change my mind."

"I don't understand? Why would you want to…" he hesitated as a memory flashed across his mind. Tsunade, the fifth Hokage… the woman could level a man with a flick of her finger…and she was terrified. The legendary Sannin was terrified of the sight of blood to the point where she could only run from her past and freeze in battle.

Sorano was running too. He should have seen it sooner. All the signs were there. She never stayed in one place too long, keeping a cheerful distance from everyone, always glancing away when thinking of the past.

He might not be the brightest star in the sky, but he knew he was walking a dangerously narrow line. For some reason Sorano allowed him to see a part of her she preferred to keep secret. If he pushed too hard, asked too much, she would shut him down in a heartbeat, and just maybe, she might run again.

"It's hard to ignore what we are, isn't it," he murmured and her eyes widened slightly.

"Naruto…"

"But if I had to start over somewhere," he cut her off with a cheeky grin, "Konoha would be the place to do it. Where else are you going to find such awesome ramen?"

Sorano wanted to laugh and cry at such insane logic. "I can't disagree with that," she finally said.

His grin widened. "Good, cause I'm starving and you're buying!" he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"I am?"

"Yup! We have to celebrate your new job!"

Sorano groaned. "Meddling Hyuuga."

Naruto laughed as he pulled her out the door and down the steps, releasing her hand once they reached the street.

"Doesn't that man have anything better to do?" she muttered beside him.

"Actually, we have a mission tomorrow."

That caught her attention. "How long?"

"Shouldn't be more than three days. Why? You going to miss us?" he grinned boyishly.

Sorano stretched her arms over her head. "Three glorious nuisance free days! I won't know what to do with myself!"

Naruto squinted at her. "You do know that Sasuke and Neji are **the** most sought after bachelors in the village, right?"

"Can't imagine why," Sorano said.

Naruto barked with laughter as he threw an arm around her shoulder and gave her a friendly squeeze. "You're the best, Sorano-chan! Seriously!"

She stumbled slightly and elbowed him to get him to let go to which he pouted dramatically. "Don't get too mushy, buddy. You're a nuisance too," but the sparkle in her eyes took the sting from her words. "You're just the preferable one."

Naruto shrugged and grinned. "As long as I beat them out, I'm a happy man."

"Yo, Naruto."

"Hey, Shikamaru," Naruto waved at the slouching man with the pineapple shaped ponytail walking towards them. "Didn't know you were back."

"Just got in a few hours ago," he shrugged, his eyes glancing over Sorano in an utterly casual way.

"Sorano?" he asked with the slightest tilt of his brow.

"Word really gets around," she murmured.

Shikamaru smirked. "Oh, yeah. Seems you've got all of Anbu tied up in a knot."

"Eh, don't pester her, Shika. We're getting ramen and she won't pay for mine if you put her in a bad mood. You coming?"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, but followed anyway.

"I'm not paying for everyone, Naruto," Sorano warned.

"Yeah, yeah," he waved his hand at her as he ducked under the half curtain into the noodle bar. There was just enough room for the three of them seeing as how Neji and Sasuke were already there. Before she could turn and run, she was forcefully pushed into the seat next to Sasuke with Naruto taking the one on her other side.

Sasuke took a moment to glare at her and Sorano valiantly tried not to smile at the growing ring of purple around his left eye, but some of her amusement must have slipped through because his glare narrowed before turning away.

"Does the other guy look worse?" she couldn't help asking.

Sasuke shot a smug glance towards Naruto who was grinning cheekily. The smirk instantly faded when he took in the blonde's flawless features.

"Oi, dobe! Did Sakura heal you?"

"Nope," Naruto said. "And don't call me dobe, chicken-head."

Sasuke scowled. "Well then who—."

"Not telling," Naruto sing-songed. "Oi, Sorano, whatcha gonna try today?"

"I guess I will have the shrimp ramen," she pleasantly told the old man, inwardly laughing at Naruto's childish glee. He really was too much.

Glancing sideways at Sasuke's deep scowl, she caught sight of pearlescent eyes staring thoughtfully at her.

"How was your first day, Sorano-san," Neji asked before she could turn away.

"Dusty," she said.

"Sorano-chan is working at the library," Naruto told Shikamaru and Sasuke, who probably didn't care but were listening anyway.

"Good luck with that," Shikamaru grunted. "Half those tomes aren't even in the catalogue."

"I noticed," Sorano said as she dove into the bowl placed before her. "Hinata's been writing up a new catalogue, but she's only there on her off days so she hasn't gotten very far."

"Maybe with the two of you, you'll get it done faster," Naruto said between slurps.

"That is the current plan," she said. "And if that fails, we decided arson is our next best bet."

The four men blinked at her.

"What?" she asked warily.

"I didn't hear nothing," Naruto said. "You, Shika?"

"Not a word."

"Hey, you could even blame it on Sasuke. He's the one with all the fire jutsus," Naruto grinned.

Sasuke growled, then turned back to his bowl.

"Family technique?" Sorano asked softly.

Sasuke blinked at her, then frowned. "Yeah, why?"

Sorano smiled slightly. "Just seems fitting is all."

Naruto paused in between bites. "Huh, never considered that before."

"Considered what?" Shikamaru asked.

"How all our techniques fit our personalities so well. Weird."

The others considered that for a few moments. Lazy Shikamaru with his Shadow Bind Jutsu, passionate Sasuke with his fire jutsus, hyper Naruto with his multiple Shadow Clones, quiet, intense Neji with his Gentle Fist…

"How do you explain Lee, then," Neji asked as he pushed his bowl away.

Naruto's face scrunched up. "There is no explaining **that** guy."

"Who's Lee?" Sorano found herself asking, feeling utterly lost in the conversation and way too comfortable in their company.

"Rock Lee is Konoha's Taijutsu Specialist," Neji told her. "He has no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu, so he dedicated himself to taijutsu instead. He's the best there is."

"How…unusual," she murmured.

"That's a good word for bushy brows, but I prefer just plain weird," Naruto said. The other three men nodded in agreement. Now who was she to argue with that?

* * *

To my lovely readers:

**Hongse-** Yeah, I do the same thing sometimes. Good writers usually have good taste too. I'll have to take your word on the improvement in my writing because I can't see it. That's probably because even though I'm writing again, it isn't flowing out from me with the ease it used too. Everything feels so forced sometimes. Well, I can definitely say Neji and Sorano aren't a popular pairing (at least not yet), and I don't write citrus, so of course I'm forced to actually use a plot in my story. Heaven forbid anyone should do that! Honestly, there are a whole lot of stories out there with a ton of reviews that I can't even get past the first chapter because the grammar is so atrocious. Reading should never have to be hard work.

**Lieutenant Lagua Quacker…-** Naruto ate it all.

**xKillerxShinobix- **Sorano is **not** from Snow Country. It will be mentioned several times that she has traveled **a lot** and Snow Country is just one of the many places she's been. You won't find out where she is really from for quite a while and with good reason. I haven't read the manga, but Wikipedia mentions that in the second arc, Neji is still very serious but is also more cheerful and kinder due to Naruto's influence. I tried to capture that best I could and I'm guessing Naruto would have had a similar affect on Sasuke (though not as profound because Sasuke just isn't a cheerful person) supposing he is able to save him from the darkness. For the sake of my story, he did. I'm thrilled you're enjoying my story so much.

**Starchip13-** Thank you. I hope I can keep you intrigued.

**Silver Fantasy**- Ooh! I love pictures! I actually was thinking of doing one myself of Sorano, but it has been a long time since I've drawn and people are not my forte, but I had done one of a character in one of my original stories (it got ruined by rainwater last year, don't ask) and it was pretty decent. I might give it a shot if I can figure out how to scan it into the computer and post it without blowing something up. I'm kind of ignorant with stuff like that. But you are welcome to draw Sorano and I'll answer any questions about appearance you might have. I would love to see your Ari picture too. People are still reading that story. Leave a signed review next time and I will PM my email addy to you. And if you have any questions about the Naruto world, just ask. I did a boat load of research to keep my story as accurate as possible, everything from geography to ninjutsu.

**Gaara's Pyro RACCOON-** Cheesecake? Did you say cheesecake? (drools) Love the pen name, by the way.

**Captain Fox**­- I'm glad you like Naruto. So many of my fans were hoping for an RK fic, but the characters of Naruto are just so cool! It couldn't be helped.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my story and I hope you are all enjoying it. Say, do you all want me to post at the end of each chapter the title of the next? Let me know!


	5. Konoha's Snowflake

A/N-I have learned two things from writing this chapter. One, Rock Lee is very fun to work with. Because he is older in this fic, I toned him down a bit (he can have his serious moments if you haven't noticed), but he is still the same passionate Rock Lee. He just isn't quite as spastic. Two, Shikamaru is way too lazy to cooperate even in a story. He is without a doubt one of the hardest Naruto characters for me to write.

I haven't been getting my alerts from FF so I'm guessing others haven't either. So if you have been reading this fic and are unaware, I did post a SasuHina oneshot that you might want to check out if you like that pairing. It's kind of funny because it's one chapter (basically) and has as many reviews as this story. I never realized that pairing was so popular.

Disclaimer: Naruto not mine, Sorano is. Yada yada yada…

**Konoha's Snowflake**

**Chapter 5**

Sorano's first thought upon waking the next morning was: three blissful days without meddlesome men! Then she left her apartment, skipped down the steps, and nearly ran into Shikamaru.

"Did they tell you to spy on me?" she demanded of the semi-alert man.

"Eh?" was his bewildered reply.

"Never mind," she muttered as she turned away. It took her a good five minutes to realize the laid-back ninja was strolling beside her.

"Why are you following me?" she sighed.

"You happen to be going in the same direction as me," he said. She merely raised a brow and proceeded to ignore him.

When Neji and Sasuke asked him to "keep an eye" on the snowy-haired woman while they were on mission, he knew it was going to be more trouble than it was worth. Though he did find the situation curious, curiosity was very easy for him to ignore. Yet here he was, up early on his day off, following her to the…training grounds? _Okay, didn't see that one coming._

Sorano found herself a comfortable patch of grass on the incline and plopped down. _Now this I can live with_, Shikamaru decided as he sprawled out beside her and pillowed his head on his arms. After a few silent moments, he opened an eye and glanced at her.

She was watching the few ninja's present practicing without expression but for her eyes. She was very alert and very attentive.

Closing his eye, Shikamaru sighed softly. "So why the training grounds," he bothered to ask.

"Something Naruto said," she murmured absently.

"He has a way of doing that," Shikamaru sleepily agreed.

Was Konoha really the place to start over? Tsunade obviously thought it was. Sorano had found quiet acceptance so far, but what if they learned the truth? Would Naruto still grin at her the same way? Would Neji remain so polite, Sasuke only half-threatening, Shikamaru so…lazy?

Naruto was right about one thing, though. It was hard to ignore what she was. Maybe it was time to stop ignoring it, to stop running from it.

Her gaze shifted from the young genin target practicing with kunai to a young man in the most heinous green jumpsuit she had ever seen. His fashion sense stunk but…she raised a brow as he splintered a post. _That is one hell of a back kick._

Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and watched with growing fascination the fluid speed and power this man possessed.

"Hey," she swatted the lazy ninja beside her and he grunted at being disturbed. "Who is that?"

Shikamaru pried an eye open and glanced across the field. "Lee," he said then closed his eye.

"The taijutsu guy?"

"Hn."

Sorano chewed her thumbnail thoughtfully before glancing up at the sun. "I have to get to work," she said as she stood and brushed off her black capris. "Don't follow me."

"Troublesome," was the only reply she got.

Sorano wasn't one for routines, but she found herself falling into one, for however briefly. In the mornings she would go to the training field and watch Lee practice from a distance. Then she would spend most of the rest of her day buried elbow deep in dusty books and illegible catalogue cards. Lunch was spent with Hinata at a Café halfway between the library and hospital where she also met the vastly praised Sakura. It was easy to see why Naruto was smitten. The girl was an exotic beauty with a dynamic personality.

Day's end would find her once again at the training grounds, a popular time for training apparently. Having heard of the Taijutsu Specialist's dedication, she wasn't surprised to find him among the evening trainees.

It took her three days to swallow all doubt, work up her courage, and approach the man. The green jumpsuit **was** a little daunting, but she had been watching him for three days and his technique was flawless.

She waited until he took a breather from his training, walking silently across the field and stopping a few feet from where he kneeled facing away from her.

"I was wondering when you would come down here," he said before she could open her mouth. Sorano blinked, stunned as he turned and smiled brightly at her. "You have been watching me for three days."

_Not a fool_, she decided. _Just bad fashion sense._ "You are Rock Lee, the Taijutsu Specialist," she said.

"That I am," he grinned as he stood to face her. "Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast! And you are Konoha's newest flower!"

_Flower? _Sorano fought the urge to sigh. "Word gets around, doesn't it," she said dryly.

"Indeed it does. You have my rival greatly vexed with your mystery and beauty!"

"Rival?" _Mystery? Beauty?_

"The Hyuuga genius, master of the Gentle Fist, Hyuuga Neji has been my rival since the Academy," he said. "To this day he is a most worthy opponent!"

"Ah." She almost felt sorry for the Hyuuga. Almost.

"So what is it that has captured your attention so, my lovely flower?"

_Here goes nothing_. "I wish for you to train me," she said.

His bright eyes widened considerably. "Truly? But, I was informed you have no desire to be a ninja."

"Is there anyone in this village who doesn't know this stuff?" she asked in exasperation.

"That is doubtful," he grinned, "but if it is indeed your wish to train, I will be happy to help you. Though I do not know if you are suited for such a vigorous technique. You are very slight of build." His remarkable eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully as he glanced her over.

Sorano straightened up under his scrutiny. "I'm fast, flexible, and not entirely inexperienced."

Lee raised a brow. "That has indeed been the question of the week. What exactly is the extent of your training?"

Sorano smiled. "You do realize as soon as I tell you this, you will know a secret your rival would dearly love to know." It was a little underhanded, but she hoped to keep such knowledge quiet.

Lee grinned knowingly. "Your secrets shall be safe with me!"

Sorano searched his eyes for a moment and found only truth. "I have minimal training in taijutsu, it's sloppy at best. I've had to learn by sheer experience."

"You have had no formal training?" he asked with surprise.

"My father trained me in our family's technique until I was nine. I've been on my own since then."

There was a wealth of sorrow behind her eyes that did not escape his notice, but he dare not touch it. "How much do you weigh," he asked thoughtfully.

"105," she said with a slight grimace. "I'm hoping to gain back what I lost over the last few months."

Lee nodded sagely. She did look too thin for her bone structure. "Good. Now, hit me."

* * *

That evening, at Ichiraku Ramen, Lee's excessive giddiness sufficiently irritated the three men freshly returned from mission.

"Oi, bushy brows, what's gotten into you?" Naruto demanded between slurps.

"I have had a most glorious day!" The green clad man declared.

Sasuke and Neji merely grunted at the unappreciated enthusiasm. _Don't ask. Don't ask._

"What happened?"

Both prodigies sighed. _He asked._

"I have a new student! She is most lovely and dedicated indeed! My precious Snowflake will be the pride of Konoha!"

"She?"

"Lovely?"

"Snowflake?"

The men exchanged glances, then, "Sorano."

Naruto turned on Lee first. "What? When? Why?"

"Just today," Lee beamed. "For three days she has been watching me train and just today she came to me with a most earnest request."

Naruto sputtered. "But…why you?"

Lee's brows furrowed pensively. "She said I was highly recommended to her."

"By who?" Sasuke had to ask.

"Her stalker."

Neji choked on his ramen and Naruto pummeled his back enthusiastically, nearly knocking him into the bowl.

Merely raising a brow at his comrade's predicament, Sasuke turned back to the Taijutsu Specialist beside him. "Stalker?"

"Yes," Lee scowled. "That some coward should pursue Konoha's Snowflake in such an underhanded way is unacceptable! She did not appear to be alarmed by such dishonorable behavior but I do not trust this man's intentions!"

Having recovered, Neji and Naruto joined Sasuke in watching Lee's adamant declaration.

"What sort of man watches a woman from the shadows and hides in the trees?" Lee demanded.

"A ninja," the three said at once.

Lee froze. "Oh, yeah. I didn't consider that."

"So, how is she?" Neji asked what they all wondered.

Lee grinned. "Her potential is impressive. Though she will never master such techniques as the lotus, taijutsu is well suited to her style."

"Style?" The three men leaned towards him.

"She told you of her previous training?" Neji asked in surprise.

"Of course! For her training to be successful, there must be complete trust between teacher and student." He happily turned back to his ramen and took several bites before realizing three pairs of eyes were boring into his back. "Um, what?" he asked warily.

"Her training, Lee," Neji nearly growled. "What is it?"

"Ah," he nodded with understanding. "I cannot say."

Sasuke and Neji dropped their heads onto the counter while Naruto grinned.

"She made you promise, didn't she," he said.

Lee nodded. "She seems to greatly treasure her privacy and was most adamant that her secrets be kept from Neji-kun."

Sasuke chuckled. "Seems she dislikes you more than me."

Neji glared at him. "I didn't throw a kunai at her."

"You attacked Sorano-san?" Lee was flabbergasted.

"I was testing her reflexes," Sasuke grumbled.

"Your aim was off and you cut her cheek," Naruto glowered at him.

"It was barely a scratch!"

"Ha! So you admit your aim was off!" Naruto grinned triumphantly.

"Oh for the love of—."

Neji tuned out the bickering beside him, overly used to Naruto and Sasuke's bizare friendship. What did she have against him? He had made a point of being friendly, well, _Hyuuga_ friendly anyway. He wasn't nearly as unapproachable as the Uchiha and he **had** helped her a few times, even with finding work at the library. Wasn't that worth something?

Naruto got her cheerful smiles and apparently tasty cooking. Lee had her trust and time through training. Sasuke got her rarely shown hostility and he, well, he felt rather left out in the scheme of things. It was irritating…and intentional if he wasn't mistaken.

Silver eyes narrowed. He was the only one she purposely kept at an obvious distance. Why?

Glancing at his companions, Neji made a quick summary of their personalities. Naruto was warm and open, impossible to refuse. Lee was passionate, dedicated, and very loud about it. Sasuke was brooding, anti-social, and openly suspicious of everyone. There was no questioning them, no surprises. Sorano knew exactly what to expect from each one of them and how to respond in turn.

A slow smirk curled Neji's lips. Well, how about that. Could it be that cool, calm, collected Sorano was intimidated by him?

How very, very interesting.

* * *

**darklight03-** I'm glad you were able to work out the chapter problem. It's annoying when that happens, isn't it? Well, if you have enjoyed it so far, you will love the upcoming chapters. Things are just about to get interesting.

**Captain Fox-** Good thing I'm hunkered down in a cave with Kakashi to protect me! Now if I can just get him to take his nose out of that book…

**Hongse-** Good heavens, yes! I wouldn't touch a story with a misspelled summary with a ten foot pole and an oven-mitt! One of the oldest rules of writing is that most readers are lazy. You have to keep their attention and if they have to work at reading what you wrote, they will quickly move on to something else. I am a perfect example of a lazy reader. Ever try to read Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe with all that flowery old English speech? I've been reading it for eight years! And I'm not even half way! Maybe I should give up on it and rent the movie…

**Silver Fantasy-** Actually, keeping a good balance between lighthearted and serious comes pretty easily to me, probably because that's how I deal with life in general. I've been seriously ill for almost seven years now and through the worst of it, the only way I could deal with the depression was with sarcastic humor. My sister tells me I'm hilarious when I feel my worst.

I don't like stories that are swimming in angst. Some angst is good and I can understand writing it out of your system to cope, but when it comes to enjoying a good read, I want something to pick me up, explore the good things in life with the bad. I think the world of Naruto is a good example of the constant battle of vice and virtue and yes, it is a **very** detailed world. So much room for the imagination!

**Clockwork starlight-** You're making me blush : ) After my nearly two year hiatus from writing anything at all (including in my own journal) I feared I had lost my touch entirely. Your words are very reassuring. Thank you.

**Starchip13-** Does my posting the next chapter title and a little thread of summary help or make the wait worse?

**Lieutenant Laqua Quacker-** Oh I could so go for some pancakes right now…with strawberries and a gallon of Maine maple syrup. Stop making me hungry!!

Thank you also to all of my chibi shy shadow readers (I know you are out there, I can see the hit counter on successive chapters). I'm so happy so many of you are enjoying my story even if you are unable to review! You are always welcome here!

**A/N-** No one really had an opinion either way about me mentioning the title of the upcoming chapter so I decided to do it.

Coming up: **Chapter 6 –Push**

Neji refuses to be ignored and Sorano's façade begins to slip.


	6. Push

A/N- Did you know Lee never speaks in contractions? He is a very formal speaker. Also if you really pay attention to the English dub (I don't know enough Japanese to be able to tell in the original), but Hinata actually doesn't stutter that much. She says "um" or "ano" a lot and speaks very quietly, but she doesn't stutter as much as most people write her as stuttering. Anyway, I would think as she gets older and more confident in herself, her speech would become more steady too. Just my two cents.

Disclaimer: La la la! I'm not listening! La la la!

**Push**

**Chapter 6**

"Weights?" Sorano echoed as she watched Lee strap black bracelets around her ankles.

"I calculated your height, weight, speed, and strength and decided three pounds per leg and two per wrist is the optimal distribution of weight for your current level." He stood and put the wrist braces on her.

"It doesn't feel like much," she said when she stepped back and lifted her arms experimentally.

"At first it does not but if you train with these weights, even wearing them during your day to day duties, it will rapidly and efficiently increase your strength. Once you grow used to these we will increase the amount as necessary. This is how Gai-sensei trained me," he said proudly.

Sorano studied the weighted bracelets with appreciation. "That's very…clever. Let's give it a shot."

"Yosh!" Lee beamed. "Today we will work on defense. It will not be as taxing while your muscles grow accustomed to the weights."

Sorano nodded and slid into a defensive posture. She had learned very quickly that at her current level, it was impossible to land a hit on Rock Lee unless he allowed it, which he did once to test her strength. It was pitiful, really, like a kitten batting at a lion. Physical strength had never been in her favor being both female and slight of build. Weapons were much more effective, but she refused to touch them as she had been quick to inform Lee. He didn't ask why and she was grateful.

She appreciated Lee's attention to detail, taking in her size and weakness to heart. His faith in her ability to learn and progress was set from day one when she successfully blocked most of his attacks with unanticipated speed and grace. He didn't know the half of it really, but until her chakra control was restored that too would remain a secret.

Between the physical training with Rock Lee and the chakra training she did on her own at night, she would surely kill herself. Lee was a strict taskmaster, but she had expected that after watching his personal training. Her warm-up regimen was starting at 20 laps around the training arena, fifty sit-ups, and twenty-five push-ups, now with added weights apparently. He said he wanted to start her off gently since she was unused to vigorous training of any sort. After collapsing into bed the previous night, she decided she was most grateful for his insight. He seemed to know exactly when to stop.

_Or maybe not_, she thought hours later as she staggered from a blow and fell unceremoniously onto her back. She was too dignified to groan, but not a finger could twitch, the simple weights having at some point been exchanged for elephants during training. Momentarily, the bowl-shaped head appeared above her.

"If I could move I would wipe that grin off your face," she groused. _So much for dignity._

Lee laughed merrily. "This is wonderful, Sorano-san! You have truly reached your limit! Do you not feel the untapped power of youth?"

"I can't feel anything," she muttered. Even her lips were exhausted.

"Oi, bushy brows! What did you do to Sorano-chan?"

Ah, she knew that voice.

"Sorano-san and I have had a most vigorous training session. Truly her passionate fire burns most impressively! She lasted longer than I anticipated!"

Sorano's eye twitched.

"Oi, you alive down there?" She felt a poking in her side.

"Keep it up and I won't cook for you anymore," she said. The poking instantly stopped and a blonde head appeared next to Lee's.

"Wow, you really did a number on her, Lee," Naruto said with some concern. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Her muscles have been pushed to the limit but I took care not to strain her to injury. Until she grows used to the training it will be difficult."

"Hello, still conscious down here," Sorano muttered and the two ninja looked back down at her.

"I should probably take her home," Naruto said and Lee nodded his head vigorously.

"That would be most wise."

Sorano's scowl faded into a whimper when Naruto hefted her onto her feet and slung her arm over his shoulder. She leaned heavily against him and began to seriously reconsider her sanity.

"Let's go, Sorano-chan," Naruto said as he pulled her close to his side. "A hot bath is just the thing for those aches and pains. That's what Sakura-chan always tells me!"

"Hn," she grunted, half-walking, half letting him carry her away from her overly enthusiastic sensei.

"This is all your fault, you know," she said.

Naruto glanced sideways at her. "How's that?"

"Ramen," she muttered.

The blonde laughed. "Nothing beats it!"

"Hn." She shuffled silently for a while. "Konoha is a nice place," she said, her tired words nearly a whisper.

"The best," Naruto agreed. She mumbled something else about psycho ninja and he had to agree with that too.

"Naruto."

"H-hello, Naruto-kun."

Sorano forced herself to lift her head when Naruto stopped.

"Hey, Neji, Hinata-chan."

"What happened?" Neji asked as he eyed Sorano's petite figure dangling like a limp rag doll from Naruto's half-embrace.

"Training," Naruto said. "Lee started her on weights."

Neji's eyebrows creased, remembering Gai's intense training methods for his prize pupil. "Isn't that a little extreme?"

"My thoughts exactly. Training shouldn't leave her this weak."

"I swear if you don't stop talking about me like I'm not here—."

"Eh, sorry, Sorano-chan," Naruto cut her off sheepishly. "So where are you two headed?"

"We were going to Ichiraku Ramen," Hinata said then suddenly blushed. Sorano watched the transformation with fascination. The pale-eyed girl poked her fingers and dug her toe into the dirt. "Ano, did you want to come, Naruto-kun?"

"I'd love to, but I gotta take Sorano-chan home."

Hinata literally wilted in disappointment. "Ano, of course. I'm sorry."

Sorano felt her heart tug painfully in her chest. "Why don't you go with Hinata, Naruto? I can make it fine on my own."

The blonde eyed her skeptically. "I doubt that."

"I'm fine," she insisted as she pulled away from him. _Okay, __**that**__ is pain. Ow. Ow._

"I don't know…"

"I'll see her home," Neji said. "I will catch up with you later, Hinata-sama."

"O-okay," she said and then looked hopefully at Naruto.

"Well…"

"Don't make Hinata wait, Naruto. What sort of gentleman are you?" Sorano snapped.

The man jumped. "Oh! Sorry, Hinata-chan. Let's go! See you tomorrow, Sorano-chan!" He waved and bustled off, Hinata hurrying after with an expression of utter adoration.

"He really is dense, isn't he," Sorano mused as she watched the unlikely pair.

"As a brick," Neji agreed. "How much pain are you in?"

"Oh, I don't feel a thing. Seriously, light as a feather." _Go away. Go away. __**Please **__go away._

"Right. Come on," Neji said as he slipped a strong arm around her waist and pulled her close, forcing her to lean against him.

Sorano inwardly sighed and resigned herself to the Anbu Captain's company and embrace. It wasn't like she had the strength to pull away, as much as she wanted to. She was hot, sweaty, exhausted, and her defenses against the world were waning. Hyuuga Neji was the last person she wanted to be around and damn if the man didn't know it.

At least he smelled nice, all fresh and earthy, and his firm hold was the only thing keeping her from slumping into a puddle in the middle of the street.

He didn't say anything to her surprise. She expected his disapproval over her training with Lee as for some bizarre reason he and the others had taken a special interest in her activities. Naruto sure wasn't shy about his opinion on the matter, but the Hyuuga didn't say a word until they reached her door.

"Keys?" he asked.

"Door's unlocked," she muttered. She wasn't used to **having** a door to lock and finally gave up on doing so after the third day.

Neji scowled and opened the door. "Why don't you lock your door?" he asked as he pulled her in and flicked on the light.

"Nothing to steal."

One glance around the apartment confirmed the truth in that. But still…

"Someone could walk in and wait for your return after training. In your current state you wouldn't put up much of a fight," he said as he eased her into a chair.

"Of course," Sorano said wryly. "Nothing keeps out a ninja like a locked door." _Seriously not in the mood for a lecture._

Neji fought the rising exasperation as he kneeled before her. "There are many villagers who are not shinobi, Sorano," he said as he started removing the weights for her.

"You worry too much." She wearily watched him free her limbs. Her arms suddenly felt like limp noodles as he gently grasped each and unclasped the bracelets. "You'll give yourself gray hair."

The Hyuuga prodigy dumped the weights onto the table and turned back to her. His previous concern about Lee's training method had eased when he felt the lightness of the weights. He should have known Lee would take in stride her circumstances but seeing her like this, so worn, so _fragile_, was unsettling. From the first moment Tsunade introduced them he felt a strange sort of responsibility for the woman born of curiosity, intrigue, and concern for someone who obviously held the Hokage's favor.

Sorano stared at her hands, feeling a semblance of strength return in the absence of the added weight. If Lee wore weights at all times, and for sure they were far heavier than her own, his speed without them must be immeasurable.

"I don't think I have ever felt this _tired_ before," she murmured. Every bone, every muscle, every fiber in her being was entirely sapped of strength. She had not pushed her limits to such a degree in a **very **long time.

A large hand engulfed one of hers and her brows furrowed slightly at it.

"Why are you doing this, Sorano," Neji asked gently. He had seen many push themselves to such a degree in their training, but this woman had expressed no desire to become a Leaf ninja. So why make herself suffer? What could possibly motivate her to drive herself into the dust?

Ocean blue eyes flickered across his face then down to her free hand. Slowly, she closed it into a loose fist. For a moment he thought she would not answer.

"I don't want to be afraid of myself anymore."

Silver eyes blinked in surprise at the fear and desperation lacing her whispered words. "Sorano—."

"Thank you for bringing me home…Neji," she said as she tugged her hand free.

The walls were back up before they had even fallen down. But for a moment, for a single moment he had seen what Naruto must have seen and knew how thin the thread they walked must be. It was time to retreat so he stood and fixed her with a stern glare.

"Start locking your door, Sorano. I mean it."

Her jaw clenched at the order, but her dark eyes flickered over his without emotion. She had not the strength to argue. "Fine."

Neji nodded sharply and let himself out. After a tense minute of hovering outside the door he heard the click of the deadbolt and sighed in relief. It was anyone's guess how she would react to a display of authority and he did not want to test her tolerance just yet, but Tsunade had made Sorano's safety his concern. Her compliance was unexpected but reassuring.

As much as she tried to avoid him, she at least respected his rank. It would have to be enough for now.

* * *

To my precious readers:

**Silver Fantasy-** I sent my email addy by PM. Did you get it? I don't trust the FF network since I hardly ever get my alerts. Hm. Talent. I didn't always know I had it. Actually, it was just a tiny spec of a thing and a teacher in high school had to point it out before I could even see it. Then it was tons of hard work, grammar books, miles of paper, endless searching for good pens, and fifty plus horribly pathetic stories before I got here. Everyone has a talent, you just have to figure out what it is, and if you are lucky, someone will show you. Then tend it carefully and watch it become something really special, if not to others, at least to you.

**Starchip13-** I think some people are put off by Lee's bizarre personality. But I think he has a lot of cool qualities. Despite his terrible fashion sense and spastic nature, he is noble, fearless, loyal, and very hard working, not to mention he can kick serious butt. Though Lee is often portrayed as comic relief, Masashi Kishimoto intended him to represent human weakness and value of hard work, which is something rarely seen in this day and age, thus one of the reasons why I like Lee as a character. Of course, I am one of those people who sees the good in just about everyone…except Orochimaru. That guy is just plain creepy.

**Also** thanks to all of my readers who are too shy to review (aren't you all just so adorable! Woogy woogy woogy). Hiding in the shadows won't keep me from pinching your chibi cheeks! Oh dear. I seriously need to get some sleep.


	7. Shattered

A/N- I know I keep changing the summary for this story, so my apologies, but I couldn't find a summary I liked until now. I think I'll keep the one I have. And yes, it is proper to italicize foreign words (such as _shinobi_) unless they are in common use in your current language (such as ninja). But since I am writing in the Naruto fandom I'm not italicizing those words because just about all of us know what they mean.

Disclaimer: This is redundant. Naruto not mine, Sorano is.

**Shattered**

**Chapter 7**

It was a beautiful day, quiet and peaceful, the kind of day just begging for something to go wrong. But by late morning it was shaping into one of the most boring patrols Neji had ever experienced. It wasn't uncommon to experience a quiet patrol, and in most cases he took it as a good sign that their enemies were keeping busy elsewhere, but it always left him feeling restless.

So when his shift ended he decided to stop by the training field to line up an afternoon spar before checking back in at headquarters. There was usually someone around at just about any time of the day but he wasn't expecting a small mixed crowd of civilians and ninja to be lounging and standing at the edge of one of the training fields.

Spotting a fellow Anbu in one of the trees, he hopped over and landed next to him. "What's going on," he asked as he eyed the excited men.

The smirk in his fellow Anbu's voice was undeniable. "Snowflake is sparring."

Neji scowled behind his mask. Either Sorano was utterly oblivious or purposely ignoring the attention she garnered from the male population of Konoha. Within a week, every ninja in the Hidden Leaf knew about Rock Lee's new student. The reactions had been similar for most everyone: surprise, disbelief, curiosity, and intrigue. Not many would willingly subject themselves to Lee's intensity, let alone a woman who had been virtually unknown until then. Whatever anonymity Sorano had was long gone and more than a few admiring eyes followed her about the village.

Her rapid progress was impressive, only confirming the fact that Sorano's previous training was, at the very least, notable. She had become something of a novelty, Konoha's Snowflake as Lee declared her, and much speculation was made regarding her future among them. She was currently deep into her second week of training and though on occasion he had seen a few ninja stop by to observe, there had never been this many at once.

"So?" he said without a hint of the rising irritation he felt.

The rooster mask beside him tilted slightly. "She's sparing with Sakura-san."

_Ah. Now __**that**__ makes sense._ He stood ready to jump when his comrade asked, "Where you going?"

"To get a better seat," he said with a grin he couldn't hide from his voice.

It seemed he had arrived just in time. The two women were still eyeing each other up from a short distance of separation. Lee had the best seat, front row right on the field so he could closely study Sorano's performance. This would be the first time Sorano spared with anyone other than the Taijutsu Specialist so it was no surprise this match drew a crowd. Everyone was eager to see her progress, no doubt hoping she would reveal her carefully kept secrets and techniques that were much debated among them all.

The murmured hum of the observers softened when Sakura shifted her stance and Sorano mirrored it. They were a good choice for each other, Neji decided as they collided with a flurry of fists and kicks. Sakura had honed her taijutsu under Lee's tutelage, so Sorano had to improvise some of her moves.

It only took him a moment to realize Sakura was not using chakra to enhance her strength as she usually did, otherwise that last hit that slipped through Sorano's defenses would have sent her into a tree instead of to the ground.

Neji frowned as he watched her wipe blood from her lip. Even if she had the skills, Sorano was still slight of build much like Hinata. Her stamina and resilience was questionable. How much damage could she sustain?

But like any good kunoichi, she got back on her feet and immediately took to the offensive. Her sudden burst of speed startled Sakura as she furiously blocked a barrage of hits before having her feet swept out from under her in a beautiful display of grace and flexibility.

Even as she fell, Sorano was above her, driving a fist towards her face…only to miss. Wide green eyes stared up at her in shock before Sakura rolled out from under her.

From his perch Neji could see the uncertainty flicker across Sorano's face. She had hesitated. She had a perfect shot at her opponent and hesitated. A quick glance at Lee told him this hadn't been missed. Bushy brows were furrowed in pensive concentration. Her previous hesitation seemed to disappear until another opening revealed itself. Again she faltered but this time it cost her. Sakura was quick to take advantage of Sorano's indecision. A disappointed moan rippled through the observers as the snowy-haired girl took a crippling blow to the stomach.

She skidded and crumpled to her knees in pain, barely able to catch her breath.

"You're holding back," Sakura growled. "It's insulting."

"Don't take it personally," Sorano wheezed.

Sakura cracked her knuckles ominously. "If you keep it up, I will. You've penetrated my defenses several times but have yet to hit me! You're wasting Lee's time if this is the best you can do!"

_Go Sakura_, Neji smirked as fire flashed through blue eyes.

Sorano was a blur of motion and Sakura never had a chance to react. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lee stiffen in shock as his student of two weeks perfectly executed Leaf Hurricane.

Neji had seen Lee use this powerful technique many times to perform the Lotus, even been on the receiving end of the jarring upward kick at least once. It was always the setup to another move and Sorano didn't disappoint. The moment Sakura was airborne Sorano leaped and slammed her back into the ground with a powerful spin kick.

Sakura fairly bounced on impact, Sorano landing in a heap nearby. Even if she could follow the move through, her body was not conditioned for the strength it required and she had seriously strained herself to use it.

Half the observers were on their feet in an instant, waiting with baited breath while both women struggled against their injuries. Sorano was the first to stumble to her feet amidst cheering, clutching her stomach as she shuffled over to the stunned medic-nin.

"You okay," she asked between breaths.

Sakura was stunned beyond movement. "How…how did you learn to do that?" she gasped.

Sorano offered a hand and smiled. "You underestimated me, Sakura. A very dangerous mistake."

Green eyes narrowed. "I'm beginning to see that," she said as she grasped her hand and let herself be pulled up. She was going to be feeling this in the morning. She had plenty of steam left to continue but it was clear Sorano didn't. Leaf Hurricane had taken everything she had.

"Sorano-san, that was incredible!" Lee exclaimed as he bounced over to the two women leaning against each other.

"I won't go so easy on you next time," Sakura warned with a grin.

"I expect not," Sorano said. Glancing up at the sun, she sighed. "I have to get to work. Hinata said she would help me this afternoon."

"We shall resume practice tomorrow morning!" Lee reminded her and she waved half-heartedly as she shuffled away. The moment her back was turned, the smile faded from the Taijutsu Specialist's face.

"You didn't teach her that technique, did you," Sakura asked as she began feeding chakra into her bruised ribs.

"No," Lee frowned. "She must have seen me use it in training, but I know only one other to learn it so quickly from mere observation."

"Sasuke," Sakura murmured.

"Yes, but Sorano-san does not possess the Sharingan. Truly I am stumped as to how she mirrored Leaf Hurricane."

"Neji will find out," the pink haired kunoichi said as she glanced back to where the Anbu Captain had been watching. He was long gone now.

Lee nodded. "No doubt he has figured it out as well."

Sakura glanced up. "Figured out what?"

"Why she hesitated."

* * *

Her face was wholly serene, betraying none of the tumultuous thoughts battering her mind. Sakura's words had hit a nerve, made her angry and defensive, and for one terrifying moment she lost herself. She had thought she was ready to start over, ready to accept who and what she was. Lee's training gave her a non-lethal means to recover her skill, but in her spar with Sakura she realized instinct would never be forgotten.

"_It's hard to ignore what we are." _

_No, Naruto. It's impossible._

With her body tense from conflict, her reflexes were on hyperactive overload, jerking her from her thoughts and putting her in motion before she was fully aware of her own actions.

When the haze receded from her vision, Sorano paled in horror.

Her fist was halted barely a centimeter from the Anbu's mask by an iron grip. She glared at the man for a moment taking in the long, coffee brown hair tied up in a ponytail and a familiar earthy scent before relief and irritation flooded through her.

Naruto smelled like ramen, Sasuke like sandalwood, Lee like curry spice…only one man smelled like the forest after a storm.

"Not now," she sighed as she tried to retrieve her hand only to have his grip tighten. Sorano squeaked when Neji tugged sharply on her wrist as he turned on his heel. She had to half-skip half-run to keep up with his long legged stride, but he wouldn't slow for her benefit. He needed to corner her before she recovered her senses enough to put up a solid defense.

Sorano for her part was cursing a blue streak in her mind as she stumbled after the Hyuuga. That was no sissy blow Sakura had dealt her and she wanted to curl up in a corner and whimper, not deal with a stubborn, arrogant man.

She was dragged unceremoniously up some steps before she realized where they were.

"Keys," he demanded and she didn't hesitate to obey, silently grateful she had begun locking the door after his last isolated encounter with her.

Neji swung her through the doorway before releasing her. She skidded back a few steps as he closed the door and flicked the lock. Pushing his mask up, he turned and crossed his arms firmly across his chest.

Sorano nearly cringed at the piercing silver glare. Swallowing softly, she fought the urge to lunge for the window, knowing escape would be a futile attempt at this point. He would hunt her down wherever she went, judging by that look.

Neji watched fear and anxiety play across her face unguarded. He had expected anger, but it was curiously absent. Those wide blue eyes reminded him of a cornered deer and almost succeeded in distracting him from his intent.

"Lee did not teach you that move," he finally said.

Some of the tension eased from her expression. "Is that what this is about?"

"Uchiha Sasuke is the only one to learn that move from mere observation and he has the Sharingan. So humor me," he growled.

Sorano allowed herself to collapse into a chair and winced at the twinge in her abdomen. "I have an eidetic memory."

Neji blinked in surprise. "Eidetic memory?"

"Total recall, photographic memory, but I can't use it on ninjutsu or genjutsu since I can't see chakra signatures," she shrugged and winced again.

The prodigy studied her tired features for a hint of deception and found none. He knew many shinobi who had remarkable memories, Sakura being one of them. How that woman managed to retain all the knowledge she garnered from her medical texts was beyond him. Kakashi too was legendary for his observation abilities even without the use of his Sharingan. But what Sorano claimed to possess by far exceeded the ability of most ninja and now that he thought about it, Sorano never did ask the same question twice and could easily remember not only the names and faces of everyone she had crossed paths with in Konoha, but all the little details about them as well. In keeping a close eye on her, he had found this fact interesting, but decided she just had a good memory like the rest of them.

Good was certainly an understatement. With an eidetic memory, she only would have to glance at something once to remember it forever. Hell, the only reason she got lost the first time she came to Konoha was because she was looking for a specific address and had not yet passed the street. _How much information does she have locked in that pretty head? The possibilities must be limitless!_

"Are you satisfied now?" she asked with faint irritation.

"We are just getting started," he smirked.

Blue eyes narrowed sharply as he started closing the space between them. If he thought she was going to sit quietly and let him interrogate her to his heart's content, he had another thing coming. But the moment she made to move from her vulnerable position, he was there in a blur of motion. She flinched back and he gripped the chair on either side, imprisoning her between his arms.

Her breath caught in her throat as he loomed over her, his intense eyes searing straight through making her want to glance away and fearing to at the same time. The instinct to defend struggled against his dominant mien and died a cowardly death.

"You hesitated," he said, his voice low, deceptively calm. It sent chills down her spine. "And each time, each one of those blows was a killing blow, would have been…if you had a weapon."

Sorano's eyes widened slightly and she glanced away.

Neji frowned at her silent evasion. Not a moment ago she had been ready to fight or flee. Now she could not even look him in the eye? Grasping her chin, he pulled her gaze back to him and blinked in shock at the pain, shame and stricken fear swirling within deep blue. A single tear slipped free and he reflexively brushed it away with his thumb.

"I know," she whispered brokenly. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his gray vest as she bowed her head. Feathered white strands cascaded to shadow her face. "But it won't go away. It will never stop. I can still hear them _scream_," she choked off a quiet sob, either unable or unwilling to let go.

"_I don't want to be afraid of myself anymore."_

Neji knew that fear. Naruto had opened his eyes with harsh words and brutal fists and to this day it terrified him to think of how close he came to killing his shy little cousin. It was the first time he truly realized what he had become, how dark his world had been. It would be the first of many memories to haunt him in his life as a ninja.

With awkward resolve, he wrapped his arms around the broken woman and pulled her off the chair and into his lap. How did he never notice this? The doe-eyed innocence, the sarcastic wit, the subtle obstinacy, the unending patience and tolerance for all things Naruto…it all hid a pain and fear so deep, so penetrating that even his all-seeing eyes couldn't recognize the shattered being dwelling beneath the facade.

She was shaking uncontrollably, her small hands grasping his vest like a lifeline tighter and tighter with each gasping sob. If he didn't calm her down soon, she would hyperventilate. Comforting a panicking woman was not something Hyuuga Neji could claim experience in, but being the genius he was, he improvised.

One dexterous hand freed her snowy hair from its confining bun and layers of feathered silk tumbled down to dust just over her shoulders. Pulling her closer into his embrace, he started to trail his fingers through the soft locks, marveling at the texture. With each shudder of her small body, he tightened his grip and continued the soothing strokes until her breathing began to even out into quiet gasps. But even once she calmed, the tension did not leave, the trembling did not cease.

Neji had never held a woman like this before. There had been a few times when Hinata, in her shy gratitude, would hug him for some small kindness on his part that meant the world to her, but it never made him feel like this.

He wanted to wrap himself around Sorano and absorb her pain. He wanted to protect her from whatever fear possessed the power to devastate someone so confident and composed. She had buried her face in his chest but his vest remained dry despite her unceasing sobs. He could only assume her tears had abandoned her long ago.

Neji tucked her head under his chin and continued to soother her with his gentle touch. This wasn't going to fade away. She would hide it behind that soft smile and those dark eyes, perhaps even running from the memory once more. How long until it destroyed her completely?

"Sorano," he whispered. Her only response was to cling tighter.

Neji sighed softly, his fingers abandoning her tresses to trail along the back of her neck. With gentle pressure and a small burst of chakra, the tense, trembling woman slumped in his embrace.

Even unconscious, tension threaded her features, her brow creased in pain. As he brushed snowy strands away from her pale face, it didn't escape his notice her cheeks remained dry. Not a single tear beyond the first. How long had this been eating away at her?

Gently gathering her up, Neji carried her to her bed, removed her shoes, and tucked her beneath the blanket. She was so small, so frail, so unlike the woman who just an hour before had sparred blow for blow with the Godaime's apprentice. Lowering himself to the edge of the bed, Neji studied her pale drawn features, her snowy mane spread out on the pillow around her.

"What happened to you," he whispered as he reached out to smooth the crease from her brow.

A/N- Info- Though some people claim that eidetic (photographic) memory is a myth, there are many documented cases of this remarkable phenomenon including such people as Mozart who was said to transcribe the entire score of the closely guarded Gregorio Allegri's _Miserere_ after hearing it only once when he was 14 years old. One man was capable of drawing an entire city skyline after only a single glance and one woman was able to recall poetry written in a foreign language that she did not understand years after she had first seen it.

Eidetic memory is different from Savant Syndrome as not all Savants possess an eidetic memory. Eidetic memory is specific to recalling images, sound and/or objects in memory with acute accuracy. This is what Sorano possesses.

* * *

To my readers:

**Scribbie-** It's reassuring that you feel Neji is staying in character. He is not an easy guy to write. Many people make the mistake of putting too many characters in their story. You don't really get a sense of character development and while there are so many cool characters in the Naruto world, I couldn't let them overcrowd my story. It kind of goes in stages, a group of chapters focusing on certain characters at a time and then there are a few cameo appearances (like Shikamaru). That's cool you like the Possession/Obsession fics too. I loved writing Ari. She was a fun character and Kaiba was really easy to work with for some reason. Plus his world revolves around technology and science which is something I enjoy.

**Silver Fantasy-** Oh! Your picture of Ari is adorable! Her hair is exactly as I imagine it, all curling at the ends. Thank you so much! I suppose this chapter gave you a decent description of Sorano's hair. Anyway, the ends fall not even an inch below her shoulders. She doesn't pay much mind to such things, but that all gets explained later. Her eyes are cerulean blue and she has a thick line of black around the outer rim of the iris. I don't like to give a full description of my characters right away because it really annoys me when I have to read a whole paragraph just about how a person looks. So I slip details in every now and then, mostly generalizations, so that the reader's imagination can fill in the rest.

**Hongse-** Huh, I never really stopped to compare Ari and Sorano but now that you pointed it out, those are the foundation qualities that I give to most of my female OCs, whether it be for original work or fanfiction, with a few exceptions. I tend to go in phases, but we all can identify with physical frailty and I value mental strength and stubbornness (for the right reasons) over physical prowess. But of course each of my characters develop their own unique attributes to set them apart. For example, Ari is openly defiant of Kaiba, but Sorano prefers to avoid Neji rather than enter into confrontation. Sorano is also more passive than Ari (with exception for when Ari lost her memory), just rolling with the path of least resistance because she lacks motivation. The Konoha boys are intent on changing that though.

**Konkon Sujji-** Did you know Kurenai weighs 119 pounds? Anywho, Sorano has lost a lot of weight because of her travels and prior experiences, but she will gain it back while training with Lee. Her average weight, though I never mention it in the story, is about 115. I don't really consider it a too important fact.


	8. Intervention

A/N- Someone, who I doubt will even look this far to see if I replied to their unsigned review but I wanted to anyway, asked why this story is under the Tenten filter. I was fiddling around with stuff in my account and what not and somehow the character filter got changed and FF won't let me put it back on "Any" so this story is stuck with a Tenten filter. It really annoys me, just so you know.

Disclaimer: The characters of Naruto do not belong to me, but Sorano and a few supporting OCs are of my own creation.

**Intervention**

**Chapter 8**

Thick caterpillar brows furrowed and creased in growing unease as the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha knocked soundly on the door for the fourth time, and just like the three times before, there was no answer.

"Oi, bushy brows! Whatcha doing?" A blonde head popped over the railing above.

"I am worried about Sorano-san," Lee said. "She did not show up for practice."

Naruto jumped down from the railing to land beside Lee. "I heard about her spar with Sakura-chan. Did she get injured? Sakura-chan hits pretty hard." He scratched his head sheepishly. "I would know."

Lee's usually bright eyes were dark with concern. "She took a few hits but did not seem to be in excessive pain. Sakura-san did not use her chakra. Still, I fear that all is not well. Sorano-san has been too dedicated to her training to skip out without explanation."

Naruto scratched his chin. "Did you check the library?"

"She was not there either and Taka-san said she never showed up yesterday. Hinata-san was supposed to help her with the catalogue."

Naruto frowned deeply. "You're right. That's not like her at all." Turning to the door, he raised his fist to pound like there was no tomorrow.

"She's sleeping," a calm, even voice stopped him.

"Neji-kun, she is inside then?" Lee asked as they turned to the man who had stealthily snuck up on them.

Neji glanced towards the door and then back at the two jonin. "We need to talk."

* * *

"Photographic memory?" Naruto echoed while Lee nodded his head in understanding.

"That makes perfect sense," the Green Beast said. "I only ever had to show her a move once for her to get it. I attributed it to her burning youthful spirit."

"Her 'burning youthful spirit' is dying," Neji said, his voice as cold as the ramen ignored before him. He glanced over at the silent blonde poking pensively at his own bowl. Naruto never let good ramen go to waste unless something was seriously bothering him.

Lee's eyes drooped sadly before springing open with renewed fire. "Then it is our duty as her friends and mentors to help revive her passionate spirit!" He made a fist, flames of determination flaring in his eyes. "Though it is my firm belief that a teacher should never betray the confidence of his student, this time I will make an exception that we may save our delicate Snowflake and restore her power of youth!"

_Well, he sure hasn't lost his penchant for ridiculous prose,_ Neji mused.

"Sorano-san has revealed to me that the bulk of her training was hard earned by trial and error," Lee continued. "No doubt it is her remarkable memory that enabled her quick growth."

Neji frowned. "Her moves were slightly more advanced than street gained experience. I'm willing to bet she is well acquainted with every vital point on the body."

Lee nodded. "I agree. This must be a reflection of her family's technique."

"Family's technique," both Naruto and Neji asked at the same time.

"Alas she was reluctant to share many details of this with me," Lee sighed. "I know only that her father trained her until she was nine and she has been on her own since."

The three fell silent as they contemplated the small tidbit of information. Sorano might not come from a shinobi village, but she came from a shinobi family. And she had been alone for a very long time.

"She's running from something," Naruto said softly.

"You think someone is after her?" Lee asked in shock.

"She's running from herself," Neji said and met Naruto's somber gaze. "That's why she came to Konoha, isn't it?

Naruto's brow creased and he glanced down at his forgotten ramen. He had lost his appetite long ago. "She came because Granny asked her too," he said. "She came to start over, but…"

"She is afraid," Lee finished.

"Did she tell you she's been suppressing her chakra for years," the blonde murmured.

The other two blinked in surprise. "What! Why?"

Naruto shrugged. "She wouldn't say, but after hearing about her spar with Sakura, I'm beginning to think she's a whole lot more capable than we thought."

Lee's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "She instinctively aimed for lethal targets, but when her strike would have connected, she hesitated. Either Sorano-san has never killed…"

"Or she killed the wrong person," Neji said.

"_I can still hear them scream."_

"That must be why she doesn't want to join our ranks," Naruto said.

"And why she refuses to use weapons," Lee added.

Neji stared pensively into his bowl. "Now we know why she went to you, Lee. Taijutsu is strictly hand to hand. She was trying to find her way back. She didn't want to be afraid of hers own abilities anymore."

"But then yesterday…"

"The spar must have triggered her suppressed instincts," Neji said as he remembered her trembling body and wrenching sobs.

"_It won't go away. It will never stop."_

They all jumped when Naruto suddenly slammed his hand on the counter. "I've got it!" he declared as he turned to his comrades. "We must help Sorano overcome this fear and accept who she is!"

"How do you intend to do this?" Lee asked excitedly.

"She needs confidence," Neji said.

"She needs purpose," Lee added.

Naruto grinned from ear to ear. "She needs a mission!"

* * *

Sorano slowly blinked her eyes open, noting by the slant of sunlight on the opposite wall that it was at least two hours past when she last had awaken. She remembered enough of the previous night to want to remain buried in her blankets for a month.

It had been a good four years since she last broke down like that in front of anyone, and of all people it had to be Hyuuga Neji. No matter how many times she pushed him away he kept finding his way back, usually when she was suffering a rare and dreaded moment of vulnerability. _Stupid, annoying, persistent man._

Whatever he had done, and she knew he had done something because one minute she was shaking in his arms and the next waking up in bed, it had gifted her with a night of dreamless sleep. She hadn't moved from her bed since, wavering in between the half-waking world of nightmares and memories, barely aware of the incessant pounding on her door hours ago. She was supposed to do something, meet someone somewhere, but it didn't really matter. There was only the light playing across the wall, the cold playing across her heart, and death playing across her memory.

She didn't belong in this peaceful village with cheerful blondes, brooding prodigies and fashion challenged phenomena because sooner or later they were going to put the pieces together and find out what she really was. Tsunade would have to repay her debt some other way. There was no starting over for her.

"How did you get in," she finally asked now that she was fully awake and fully aware of the other presence.

"The window," came the sheepish reply.

Sighing softly, Sorano sat up to look at the young man perched on the end of her bed. When he only blinked back at her, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. They sat silently staring at each other before he spoke again.

"I'm sorry."

Sorano glanced away from his somber expression. "It's not your fault, Naruto."

"It's always my fault. At least, that's what Sakura-chan always says. I'm sure I did or said something that got you hurt."

She looked back at the remorseful blonde. "I was hurt long before I met you, Naruto."

He had seen glimpses of pain and sorrow in her dark eyes before, but there had still been some spirit then, some will to continue on. He had told her Konoha was a good place to start over, but her doubts were obvious. _I'll fix this for you, Sorano-chan. I promise._

"Naruto."

They both glanced over to see Sasuke drop through her window as Naruto must have done. She didn't recall leaving it open.

"The Hokage wants to see us."

Naruto glanced back at Sorano as he stood. "You should eat something, Sorano-chan," he said before hopping out the window.

Sasuke lingered for a moment, but Sorano didn't have the heart to glare or rail at him as had become their custom. He glanced her over disdainfully. "You really are pathetic," he sneered, "if you let one blow keep you down."

With that, he leapt out the window and left her alone once more with her ghosts.

* * *

"Come in," the blonde Hokage hollered as she quickly shoved her sake into a drawer and buried her face in a report, never mind it was upside down.

Neji and Lee walked in and bowed respectfully.

"A word, Tsunade-sama," Neji said.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she folded her hands beneath her chin. "This is about Sorano, isn't it?"

"We fear for her well-being," Lee said.

"Tsunade-sama, who is she?" Neji asked. He had no intention of beating around the bush.

Amber eyes closed for a moment. "The spar with Sakura must have really shaken her if you two are this worried. However," she opened her eyes. "If she has not told you herself, then I cannot speak of it."

"But Hokage-sama," Lee stepped forward. "Her flame of youth is in danger of flickering out! Surely you can make an exception!"

"She and I have an agreement," Tsunade sighed. "She would make an honest attempt to make Konoha her home if I promised to never breathe a word to anyone about her past."

Lee wilted.

"Who is she to you, Tsunade-sama?" Neji asked. "Surely you can tell us that much."

The blonde Sannin leaned back in her chair. "I owe a life-debt to her father."

The two men blinked in surprise.

"That is not a debt that can remain unpaid," Lee murmured.

"Yes," Tsunade agreed. "But her father is gone now."

"And you intend to repay your debt to Sorano instead," Neji said. After a silent moment, "Is that why you gave her the apartment beneath Naruto?"

Tsunade smirked. "He has a way with damaged people, doesn't he?"

The door swung open and they all turned as Naruto and Sasuke walked in.

"Did you ask her yet?" Naruto asked.

"No," Neji said.

"I'm not going to like this, am I," Tsunade frowned as she looked over the four men before her. She had been expecting Naruto and Sasuke, but it looked like her plans would have to wait.

"We want to take Sorano-chan on a mission," Naruto said.

"She's not a ranking shinobi," Tsunade reminded him.

"But you want her to be," Neji smirked. "Consider it training. She's at least chunin level if she can match Sakura blow for blow."

The Hokage frowned at that. "She won't agree."

"She'll agree."

Four heads turned towards Sasuke.

"You sound awfully sure, Uchiha," Tsunade scrutinized him.

Sasuke shrugged. "She's not ready to give up."

"You see!" Naruto slammed his hand on her desk. "Even Sasuke agrees this is a good plan and he **never** agrees with me!"

"I didn't say it was a good plan. I said she would agree."

"Not helping, Sasuke," Naruto growled out of the corner of his mouth.

"And I take it you will all want to go with her," Tsunade muttered as she eyed them up.

"Tch. I've got better things to do," Sasuke scoffed.

"We will trust your judgment, Tsunade-sama, as you know her best," Lee said with a bow.

"Eh, did I miss something?" Naruto scratched his head.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered.

"Grr, Sasuke, you are in for it now!"

"I'm shaking in my sandals."

"That's it!"

Tsunade smiled at the odd assortment of ninja before her. _What have you done to these men, Sorano?_

* * *

**Scribbie-** Was there something specific that made you draw that comparison between Kiba and Neji? Cause I really don't see it. I think they all have the potential to be ruthless, but of them all (namely Team Gai and the Rookie 9) I think Neji is the most ruthless. True, as an adult he is friendlier, but he was the only one who went into the Chunin Exams with the intent to kill. He may not have intended to kill Hinata immediately as that was more due to emotional upheaval, but he did tell Genma in the finals that he intended to kill Naruto. Kiba always struck me as being more brash, in your face, tough guyish, than ruthless though he can be when fighting the enemy. Let me know if there is something you think needs tweaking.

**Captain Fox-** Ah, finals. I so don't miss those. There will be some Lee in the next chapter to hold you over until he comes back.

**Silver Fantasy-** Well, the guys are suitably curious and now more and more of Sorano's past is going to come to light. Pay attention, because it'll slip out piece by piece. I hate chapter long confessions.

**Starchip13-** Munch munch. Good cupcake. Sorry I wasn't so punctual this week. Stuff happens.

**Lieutenant Laqua Quacker…-** I have to say, I really do enjoy your bizarre reviews. They always make me smile. :D

-Even though I don't pander for reviews, I do really appreciate the ones I get. So an extra **thank you** to those who take the time to leave me a word or two.

**And **I would also like to thank those who are too shy to review for keeping up with my story. I hope you all are still enjoying it.

I think I'm going to let you all guess what the next chapter will be about…


	9. Mission Objective

A/N- See reply to **La** after this chapter for info about Sorano's name.

Disclaimer: Two more filler episodes until the Hurricane Chronicles! Oh, I mean, I do not own Naruto.

**Mission Objective**

**Chapter 9**

Sorano stared blankly at the ceiling, mulling over the oh-so-comforting words the Uchiha left her. Yeah, she knew exactly who he was. All those hours she put in at the library weren't a complete waste of time and the old librarian was something of a gossip. The Uchiha massacre seemed to be unspoken public knowledge anyway. Things like that usually were.

It explained a great deal about his personality and his innate hostility didn't really irritate her anymore. His words made too much sense and coming from someone like him, well, she was pretty certain he knew what he was talking about. Damn Uchiha.

_I really am pathetic, aren't I?_ She scowled at the ceiling.

She had been in Konoha for three weeks now, the longest she had ever stayed in one place by her own free will in a great many years. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. She was expecting it. She **should** have been prepared.

Was she going to let one setback keep her down? Was she really just looking for an excuse to leave? She was already becoming attached and that scared her more than a lapse into memory. So the real question was: Is she going to run this time too?

Uchiha Sasuke had no idea what he was in for with the path he had chosen, but then, maybe it would be different for him. He had friends to save him from the approaching darkness. She had always been alone.

A sharp pounding on the door made her jump. All right, maybe she wasn't quite as alone as before. With a weary sigh, she pushed the blankets back and crawled out of bed. There were only two people who pounded that enthusiastically on her door and the one apparently preferred sneaking through the window. That left…

"Lee," she greeted half-heartedly as she opened the door. The exuberant man did a double take before masking his expression with an eye-blistering smile.

"Good afternoon, Sorano-san," he beamed and she tried not to flinch.

"Afternoon?" she echoed dumbly.

"3:22 to be precise," he said.

"Ah." She stared at him for a minute before inviting him in.

"I'm sorry I missed training."

"Perhaps that is for the best," he said. "For I have come to you with a request from the Hokage."

She really needed to stop this blinking habit. "Tsunade?" Oh, now she just sounded like an idiot.

Lee nodded. "She wishes to meet with you."

"Now?" _Sure, that sounded slightly more intelligent._

It was Lee's turn to blink. "Well, you may want to freshen up a little," he hesitantly suggested.

Sorano glanced down at the wrinkled clothes she had been wearing since the day before.

"Right. Just…give me a minute," she murmured as she turned away and tried to reorient herself.

This didn't bode well for her. If the guys were worried enough they probably went to Tsunade about it, which meant she was either in for the pep talk of a lifetime or Tsunade intended to lock her up so she wouldn't disappear on her. Maybe she should make a run for it now.

One glance in the bathroom mirror told her why Lee had looked at her funny. Forget death warmed over. She was a graveyard on a shish-cabob.

Red-rimmed eyes stared back at her, a result of the tears she couldn't shed. She was paler than Hinata, looking ready to drop at any given moment, and her snowy mane was tangled and dull as if it had been washed with dirt and bubblegum.

"I can't face the world like this," she murmured and turned on the shower. Tsunade could wait for a semi-put together woman, and Lee… well, he would probably entertain himself with pushups.

Fifteen minutes later found her clean and dressed in non-descript black pants and a white button down long sleeve top. Her damp hair was thrown up into a messy bun and she pinched her cheeks to get a little color. Not much could be done about the dullness of her eyes, but it could always be blamed on bad lighting. Satisfied that she no longer looked like buzzard food, she stepped out of the bathroom.

Apparently, Lee had taken it upon himself to make her bed and a piece of toast, which he offered to her with strawberry jam. She didn't know she **had** strawberry jam.

"Thank you, Lee," she said as she took the toast.

"A delicate flower like you should not deprive her body of sustenance," he said as he pointed at…nothing. "Especially in the midst of training."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said dryly as she shoved the toast in her mouth and walked out the door. She didn't feel hungry at all, but he would only continue to lecture her if she didn't eat. A girl could only take so much in one day, especially when Konoha's elite took it upon themselves to meddle with her melancholy.

She had Lee well tuned out by the time they reached the Hokage's tower. Sometimes she bothered to listen but her thoughts were too troubled, too scattered to put forth the effort.

"I must leave you here, Sorano-san," he said when they reached the building.

"Thank you, Lee," she said absently as she started up the steps, unaware of the concern that flashed across his face.

It seemed unusually quiet as she walked along the curving hallway. Somehow she expected more people to be in and out of this center of activity.

Her steps slowed when she spotted Uchiha Sasuke walking as if he had just left the Hokage's office. The raven-haired jonin stopped in front of her, blocking her path as he stared down at her with cold black eyes.

She patiently waited for him to finish his scrutiny when he suddenly smirked. "Better," he said, then simply brushed past her. Sorano resisted the urge to glance after him and continued on to the Hokage's office. Sometimes that guy made no sense at all.

She tapped twice on the door and decided if Tsunade didn't hear it, too bad. But the door swung open before she could pull her hand back.

"Hi, Shizune-san."

The dark-haired assistant smiled. "Hello, Sorano-san. Please come in."

_This is not good_, she decided when she noticed four other pairs of eyes on her. Fighting the urge to swallow, Sorano walked forward and stood next to the three ninja present.

"You wanted to see me, Tsunade-sama," she stated calmly.

Amber eyes studied her for a moment, easily seeing through all her efforts to disguise her bone-weary fatigue. "I have a favor to ask of you, Sorano."

"A favor?"

"A mission, to be exact."

Ocean blue eyes narrowed sharply. _What is she up to?_ "I am not a ranking ninja."

"Which is why you are the best woman for the job," Tsunade smirked. "You will be paid accordingly of course."

Sorano pinched the bridge of her nose gently. The woman could give her a headache in an instant. She was going to regret this, she was certain of it. "I'm listening," she sighed.

Tsunade's smirk widened before blanking out into a serious expression. This was a genuine mission after all.

"You will be delivering and retrieving sensitive documents regarding the security of the Fire Country."

Sorano frowned as she looked up. "Any one of your shinobi can do that."

"But not just anyone of them have your…background."

Sorano stiffened. "Who is the exchange with?"

Tsunade smirked again. "The Daimyo, himself."

Blue eyes widened. "Are you insane?"

_Probably_, the Godaime thought as she took in the amusement on her ninja's faces. Not many could get away in one piece after asking her that.

"Your unassuming presence makes you an ideal candidate to be Konoha's ambassador. Not only are you well acquainted with proper protocol, but you are also calm and levelheaded under pressure. I have no doubt the documents will be safe in your possession as you are honorable and at the same time not inexperienced. Of course," Tsunade leaned back in her chair, "you will be accompanied by your bodyguard contingent: Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Hyuuga Neji."

Sorano glanced at the three shinobi who effortlessly remained without expression. It was a little creepy coming from Naruto.

"Three jonin and me to exchange documents with the Daimyo." She folded her arms and glared at Tsunade. "What are you not telling me?"

"As I said, these are highly sensitive documents. The risk of interception is high. In fact, it is expected."

It was so contrived, most likely by the two meddlesome men beside her. Lee likely had a hand in it too. Sasuke? Who knows? There was personal intent behind it, but she could tell by the look in Tsunade's eyes that this mission was real enough.

"I'm not going to lie, Sorano," Tsunade said softly. "This is a B-rank mission and you will be at risk of injury. There is a leak on the Daimyo's end and Neji is under orders to flush him out. All the more reason to have someone like you on the inside."

"I would be the decoy," she surmised and Tsunade nodded.

Sorano turned away from her desk and walked to the window to stare out at the expanse of the village. It was beginning to feel oppressive in the office with everyone watching, waiting on her answer. Why was she even hesitating? This was a foolish gambit on their part to get her to stay, to make her feel needed. They knew it, she knew it, heck, even the pig knew it.

The risk was too great, more than she could handle. It could ruin everything for her. Surely Tsunade knew this.

She pushed open the window and breathed deeply as a breeze swept in and brushed at the loose strands of white about her face. **This** is what she wanted, the freedom to move, to breath, to laugh and smile, to simply **be**.

Her fingers curled around the windowsill. _And if I found that freedom, what would I do with it? Run away…or protect it?_

"You do realize someone in the Daimyo's court may recognize me," she said quietly.

"It is a risk," Tsunade agreed.

Sorano turned to meet her gaze. Yes, Tsunade was well aware of the possible repercussions and still she dared to ask this of her.

"You are not alone anymore, Sorano," the blonde Hokage said gently. _It's time to stop running._

Sorano glanced at the three jonin who had been watching the exchange silently. She had never seen their potential in battle though she had a small taste of what Sakura had to offer. If their reputations were anything to go by, she was in good hands. But would those hands remain friendly when they learned the truth? Was she ready for them to know?

Her doubt must have slipped through because Naruto suddenly grinned and gave her the good guy pose Lee had made famous.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Sorano-chan. We'll protect you, believe it!"

Sorano sighed, tapped her finger twice on the windowsill, and turned back to Tsunade. "I'll need a kimono, maybe two."

Tsunade grinned. "Done. Anything else?"

Amidst Naruto's triumphant exclamations, Sorano found herself smiling ever so slightly. "When do we leave?"

* * *

To my adorable readers:

**La-** A new reader. Yay! (happy dance). As regards your questions, a seal would not have been effective enough as it can be broken. Sorano suppressed her chakra with the intent to never recover it though she is now making an effort (with great difficulty) to reverse this. This will be addressed in part in the next chapter. However, Sasuke does play a major part in Sorano's development later on. He will feature prominently in many of the chapters after the mission. I don't mention Ino or the sand siblings but Tenten does have a very small cameo appearance at some point as well as a few others. And yes, Sorano will meet Hyuuga Hiashi eventually (grins).

Sorano's name is Japanese and means "of the sky." There is a reason she was given this name (just like why Neji's name means "spiral" and Hinata's "a sunny place"). Her family name, which will be revealed later, also has significance with regard to her heritage.

Thanks to all for your reviews!


	10. Seeking Rest

Standard Disclaimer Applies.

**Seeking Rest**

**Chapter 10**

_I have utterly, irrevocably lost my mind_, Sorano decided as she found herself soaring through the trees. She had spent most of her life running away from situations like the one she was now running towards.

They had left the gates of Konoha just after sunrise and she was already feeling the effects of the long night she spent pacing in agitation. It helped that her three jonin companions were the epitome of calm. This was just another mission to them after all and as long as they continued to treat it that way, she just might be able to fool herself and believe nothing would go wrong.

Leaping through the branches was good practice for her struggling chakra control, but if she kept at it much longer, she was going to do herself some serious damage.

"I need to stop," she said to the silent man keeping pace with her.

"What's wrong?" Neji asked as he instantly halted. Sorano's momentum took her one branch further.

"I can't run very long like this," she said as she looked back at him.

Neji frowned. She wasn't breathing heavily from overexertion so that could only mean…

"Byakugan!"

Sorano jerked back startled when the veins around his temples puffed with chakra and his eyes dilated, the pupil suddenly visible, but he ignored this as he studied her chakra flow. Naruto was right. Her flow was weak, easily depleted at this point. He would definitely keep that in mind.

"What's up?" He heard Naruto ask. "Why is Neji looking at you like that, Sorano-chan?"

"She's exhausting her chakra too quickly," Neji answered for her as he deactivated his bloodline limit. "We will walk the rest of the way."

"That will tap on another day at least," Sakura said.

"We are in no rush," Neji told her. "The Daimyo is not expecting us."

"Cool," she said then hopped down to the forest floor.

"Wait for me, Sakura-chan," Naruto hollered.

Neji and Sorano followed with considerable less dramatics.

_It's good to have the ground under my feet again,_ Sorano decided after a few minutes.

"What did you do," she finally asked.

"Byakugan is the Hyuuga clan's bloodline limit. With it I can see a person's inner-coil system, among other things."

"Other things?" she asked with a raised brow.

Neji shot her an amused glance, but kept silent.

"So," she said thoughtfully, "if you can see it, you can damage it."

_She caught onto that fast_. "I can disrupt a person's chakra flow with my own and cause severe internal injuries if necessary."

"The Gentle Fist style," she murmured and he looked at her in surprise. "With Lee's strength he can break bones, but with a single touch you could burst an organ."

"Did Lee tell you that?"

"He mentioned once that you were his rival and the master of the Gentle Fist style. I'm guessing that's your clan's technique. Hinata probably uses it too, doesn't she?"

"Yes, though not as effectively."

Silence, then, "So what are the other things?"

Neji just smirked.

* * *

They stopped to make camp at dusk. Sorano watched with amusement as Naruto pulled everything out of his pack in search of matches that apparently weren't there.

"He forgot them again, didn't he," Sakura asked as she dropped a pile of sticks next to the fire pit.

"I know they're here somewhere," Naruto said as he turned the pack upside down and shook it vigorously.

Sorano shook her head, made three quick hand seals, and touched the kindling. A small flame burst forth and started to hungrily attack the wood. Smiling contently, she sat back and looked up to find three startled pairs of eyes on her.

"What?" she asked.

"We've never see you use ninjutsu before," Neji recovered first.

"Yeah! I didn't think you knew how—ow!" Naruto rubbed his head and glared at Sakura.

"What did you do?" the innocent looking kunoichi asked as she flopped down beside Sorano.

"It's just a simple survival jutsu. I would have thought they would teach you something similar at the Academy."

Naruto shook his head. "So what else can you do?"

Sorano chuckled. "Well, I'm very good at keeping my mouth shut."

The whiskered blonde scowled and Neji smirked. Even Naruto should have seen that one coming.

They ate with companionable conversation and the sun had long since set by the time the remnants of dinner were removed. Sorano was exhausted, but decided to practice her chakra control as she did every night before going to sleep. There was something to be said for a good routine. So she excused herself and found a quiet, cozy little space far enough from the camp to block out the voices and close enough to hear an attack.

She couldn't make herself regret the weakened state she had forced up herself. A choice had been made and there was no taking it back. She had done as she thought was right and best at the time; eliminating or at least hindering a danger to herself and others. Now she couldn't afford to be vulnerable and she didn't want to be. She had something to lose now, however simple and small it might seem.

Her body protested vehemently against the strain this time, likely a result of the chakra she had expended earlier in the day. Her potential was great if she could find a way to unlock it again. She was beginning to understand that she had been suppressing it for so long that her body was now unaccustomed to the flow of chakra and found it exceedingly difficult to make use of it, much like a muscle that had atrophied through neglect.

Her practice always consisted of drawing her chakra into a center and holding it for as long as she could bear, but this method had only served to increase the amount of chakra she could harbor, not her ability to use it.

"Fine, if you want to play it like that," she growled in frustration as she reversed her focus. Instead of pulling her chakra inward, she expelled it from her pores and almost immediately felt the presence coming towards her.

_Focus_, she told herself, pushing it further and further from her body.

Neji watched her silently from the other side of the clearing. He had felt the change in her instantly and activated his Byakugan to watch in fascination. Chakra swirled gently around her like a fine mist, slowly expanding outward. The moment it touched him, he saw her tense.

Clearly not viewing him as a threat, she relaxed slightly and the cloud of chakra began to grow again. He watched it progress for a moment before focusing on Sorano.

The chakra was leaking steadily from every pore in her body, slowly depleting her system. _How is this to help her with her control?_ Only when she was nearly depleted did the mist freeze and swirl in place before slowly withdrawing back into her body.

Sweat trickled down her face and her body trembled as she struggled to maintain control long enough to recover the mist. Neji had never seen such a technique before and wondered if it was related to her family's style. She was not merely expelling chakra from her body, but she was in fact still connected to it.

He was just as surprised as the others when she used ninjutsu to light the kindling. Naruto's idea of taking her on a mission seemed to be working already if she felt comfortable enough to use a jutsu in front of them. Sure it was just a simple survival technique, but her casual manner said a great deal about her acceptance of their company.

This was only a temporary reprieve from whatever Sorano was so intent on running from. He was not fool enough to believe she had made a full recovery from her previous breakdown. She just chose to hide behind _other_ emotions.

At this point, he had surmised that Sorano had a past she did not want to remember, and facing the Fire Country's Daimyo was a step in the wrong direction. Tsunade was well aware of this and made a point of reminding him to keep a close eye on her and everyone she interacted with. _"I wouldn't waste your skills on a B rank mission otherwise."_

Sorano feared being recognized. Why and by who? The thought of anyone wanting to hurt her _burned_. If they pulled off this mission with success, both the elimination of the leak and their intent with Sorano, she would likely become a ninja of the Hidden Leaf within a month or two. She was one of them now, with or without the hitai-ate, and it was up to the three of them to make her see that.

Her stamina reached its limit just then and the mist instantly dissipated. _No wonder she was breathing so hard,_ he mused. The farther the mist spread, the harder it would be to control.

Sorano finally opened her eyes and glanced towards him. "So, how did I do?" she asked between pants.

Neji deactivated his Byakugan as he closed the distance between them. "You lost more than half of the chakra you expelled, but your range was a good fifteen meters."

She let herself fall onto her back and stared up at the dark canopy. "Further than I anticipated."

Neji folded his legs and sat beside her, taking in the little details he missed on previous occasions. She seemed oblivious to his attention, but he knew better now. Sorano was seldom oblivious to anything.

"When I healed Naruto, that little expense of chakra nearly made me faint," she murmured and Neji's eyes were drawn to her lips, barely moving as she spoke.

"So you were the one who did that."

A smile. "Seemed like a good way to annoy Sasuke."

"It worked."

"Hm. And before you ask, I can only heal minor injuries. It's just something I picked up along the way."

Neji mulled that over for a moment. "How long have you been suppressing your chakra?"

"Four years," she said quietly, never blinking.

Pearlescent eyes drifted over her features. She had started filling out since training with Lee, but she still looked too pale, too fragile. "Why?"

Sorano turned her head and met his searching gaze. "Because I didn't want to be a pawn."

"So you made yourself weak?"

"I made myself useless," she said.

"And now?"

Sorano turned her eyes back to the trees above. "I'm tired." _Of running, of hiding, of being afraid._ She didn't need to say it. He knew. From the moment she broke down in his arms, he knew.

Neji leaned over her prone form, bracing a hand on either side of her without ever touching her. When her eyes shifted to his, he sucked in his breath sharply. Did she realize how unguarded she was, her secrets brimming at the surface, wanting, hoping to spill over? He had never seen anyone so openly vulnerable before. She was…hauntingly beautiful.

Sorano watched his iridescent eyes drift over her features in a silent caress, lingering for half a breath on her lips before returning to her eyes. The length of his rich brown hair fell over his shoulder as he hovered above her and her fingers itched to tangle in the glossy ends.

Her heart faltered at the unfamiliar feeling his nearness inspired. He radiated a warm, pulsing strength that frightened her as much as it tempted her. Suddenly he was too close, too dangerous.

Sensing her growing discomfort, Neji tilted his head and offered the faintest of smiles. "Then rest," he said, his voice warm and soft.

Sorano blinked as he pulled away, the absence of his warmth leaving her chilled through. Her breath was caught in her throat, emotion choking her as his words sunk into her mind long after he left her alone.

Could she find rest in Konoha? Could she find rest for her soul, her mind…her heart? Was that option still open to her? Neji made it sound so simple, summoning up all her desires in one word. Rest.

The fire had burned out by the time she returned to camp and someone had spread out her bedroll for her between Sakura and Naruto who were both blissfully lost in dreamland. As she kneeled down on the blankets, it dawned on her the import of the protective gesture of her companions. Even in slumber, they placed themselves between her and the world.

Tonight, she would take Neji's advice and allow herself to truly rest. Byakugan eyes would be watching over her after all, inside and outside of her dreams.

To my kind readers:

* * *

**La-** I love getting questions. Most of the time it is a question that will be addressed at a later time in the story but they still help me stay on my toes and make sure there are no holes in my plot. Oh, and I meant new to this story, but I'm happy you're a fan of Obsession/Possession. I enjoyed writing those. Has it really been so long since then?

As to your ?, Naruto and Neji both know better than to question Sorano outright about her past. The last thing they want to do is give her a reason to shut them out, but the matter is definitely on their minds and will be addressed over the next few chapters. They also know that given time and incentive, she will open up on her own though Neji isn't above using some gentle intimidation to _encourage_ her to do so. (smirks) Sorano will not carry a weapon as this is another Taboo subject with her. Her position in this mission does not require one of her (Tsunade took her avoidance of weapons into account) since she is just an ambassador. Neji and the others are enough to protect her and they want to give the impression that she is as helpless as she seems. Yeah, Sasuke annoys me sometimes too, but he wouldn't be Sasuke otherwise.

**Princess of Stroms-** Tenten has a brief cameo appearance much later in the story and I make reference to her sometimes. I think she's hard to write as there really isn't much told about her in the anime. I'm happy you are enjoying my story as it is.

-Wow! So many wonderful reviews! Thank you everyone! Also thanks to my chibi shy shadow readers (though I think some of those who reviewed the last chapter are from this crowd) for following my story. I hope you all will enjoy the upcoming plotness. Is that a word? It should be.


	11. Camaraderie

A/N- I probably didn't mention this before, but at this point in the timeline, Itachi is still alive. He will not make an appearance, but his being alive does influence the story and the interaction of the characters.

Good news! I got my diploma for completing my correspondence short story writing course! It's so pretty. My instructor also recommended me to the school for the advanced Novel course but I don't know if I've been accepted yet. They have fewer teachers for it so only so many students will be accepted. Here's hoping!

Disclaimer: Naruto Hurricane Chronicles air this week!!!! Ahem. I do not own the characters of Naruto. I'm kinda wishing I did though.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes. (Huggles fans)

Twelve pages this time. Enjoy! (psst. It's snowing!)

**Camaraderie**

**Chapter 11**

On the third day Neji called a halt while the sun was only midway into its descent.

"Why are we stopping?" Sorano asked.

The Hyuuga dropped his pack onto the ground at the base of a tree. "We are less than half a days walk from the palace and there is a natural hot spring near by."

"Ooh, that sounds nice," Sakura sighed. "We really should clean up before meeting the Daimyo."

"It's unlikely you will meet him, but it wouldn't do for any of us to show up covered in three days worth of dust," Neji said.

"Oh," Sakura's face fell.

"I don't understand," Naruto said.

"I can only take one of you with me," Sorano said as she slid her pack off. "If I took all of you to a private meeting it could be taken as a threat and a great insult. Since I'm a woman it would be best to take a man, preferably one with good etiquette."

"Well that leaves you out," Sakura turned to Naruto who pouted.

"Manners are overrated," he grouched as he crossed his arms and looked away, the picture of indignity.

Sorano smiled. "I would love to take you Sakura," she told the pink haired kunoichi, "but feudal lords tend to patronize female ambassadors."

"I understand," Sakura waved her hand. "Neji practically breathes tradition and manners and besides, someone has to keep Naruto out of trouble."

"Hey!"

"Better you than me," Neji smirked.

Sakura started to dig in her pack. "Where is this spring anyway?"

"A short walk that way," Neji pointed towards the bushes.

Sorano followed his gesture to the thick undergrowth. "How do you know?"

"I saw it," he said simply.

She scrutinized the bush. "Right."

Naruto chuckled at her skepticism. "Neji can see through things in 360 degrees with his Byakugan," he said.

Ocean blue eyes widened. "Seriously? How far?"

"Up to a mile," Neji said.

Sorano blinked for a moment. "Huh."

"Yosh, I'm ready," Sakura bounced on her feet. "And no peaking, Naruto!"

"Aw, come on, Sakura-chan! I wouldn't do that!"

"I'm not so sure he's the one we should worry about," Sorano muttered as she pulled out her supplies. It was exceedingly unsettling knowing there wasn't a place within a mile radius that she could hide from the man.

Neji smirked wickedly as if knowing her thoughts. "Take your time," he said.

Sorano shot him an icy glare before following Sakura into the bush, his soft chuckle tickling her ears.

"Neji's nothing if not a gentleman," Sakura assured her when they reached the quaint little spring. "It's beneath him to spy on women when bathing."

"But not any other time?" Sorano raised a brow at the other woman who burst out laughing.

"Point taken," the kunoichi grinned.

The water was heavenly, the spring tucked cozily into a corner of rocks, shielding it from a passing view. Sorano felt she could linger there all day. The steaming hot mineral water lapped away at her tense muscles as she sunk up to her neck and sighed.

"Are you nervous?" Sakura asked after situating herself on the opposite side of the small spring so she could observe Sorano's relaxed expression.

"Not really," Sorano murmured as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the smooth rock behind her. "You?"

Sakura laughed softly. "I can't remember the last time I was nervous about a mission. They've become second nature, I guess." She fell silent and studied the other woman's serene expression.

When she had first met Sorano, she was puzzled by her natural, easy-going manner. No one could fake kindness to such an absolute extent so she was certain Sorano was innately a kind soul, but there was something _off_ beneath the veneer, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

After meeting her a few times, she was finally able to see it. Some people chose to hide their emotions behind ice and distance. Sorano hid hers behind other emotions and Sakura had to admit, it was infinitely clever. It was nearly impossible to guess what the woman was really thinking or feeling. One could barely tell if she had let her guard down or was fooling you into thinking she did.

"Have you ever been on a mission before?" Sakura finally asked.

Blue eyes fluttered open to stare at the sky.

"You could say that."

"Tsunade-sama says you have no allegiance, to a village I mean," Sakura said.

Sorano met her viridian stare. "Does that worry you?"

"Only missing nins have no allegiance to a village."

"What of those who have no village?"

Sakura blinked in surprise."I…never considered that."

Sorano closed her eyes again. "Konoha is the first place I've stayed in for longer than two weeks by my own will."

"In how long?"

The snowy-haired woman was silent for a moment. "Eleven years."

Green eyes widened in shock. "So long?" Sakura whispered. She stared down into the water thoughtfully then back at the silent woman. "Why did you decide to stay?"

A soft smile curled her lips, gentling her somber expression. "Naruto said Konoha is a good place to start over." She met Sakura's curious gaze. "I wanted to see if he was right."

Sakura smiled warmly. "If Naruto said it, you won't be disappointed."

Sorano looked down at her own reflection in the water. "You've been comrades a long time, haven't you?"

"We were on the same team as genin, with Sasuke of course."

"That's a long time to be together. You must be tight."

"We are." Pause. "But it wasn't always like this."

Sorano looked up. "What do you mean?"

"When Sasuke…left, it was just the two of us for a while. I studied under Tsunade-sama and Naruto went off with Jiraiya-sama for a couple years."

"And Sasuke?"

Sakura's eyes darkened with remembered pain. "He craved power and Orochimaru offered it to him."

"To avenge his clan," Sorano murmured.

"Naruto refused to give up on him," Sakura continued as if she hadn't heard. "He promised me when Sasuke left that he would bring him back." She met Sorano's alert stare. "Naruto always keeps his promises."

Sorano was hesitant to ask, knowing the wound was still raw. "What happened?"

Sakura laughed without humor. "I could barely recognize either of them when they returned. Naruto heals fast but Sasuke was in the hospital for a month. Did you know he was tried as a traitor? He was a missing nin after all, aligned himself with an enemy of Konoha, did who knows what while he was there, all for the power to avenge his clan." She didn't even attempt to disguise the bitterness in her voice.

"He was on probation for a year, a slap on the wrist since he did kill Orochimaru with Naruto's help. We don't…talk about it anymore."

Sorano studied her closed off expression. "You're worried he will leave again."

Sakura sighed. She couldn't believe she was confiding like this in someone she hardly knew. But it felt good to get it out and there was something unusually accepting about Sorano, like she was incapable of judging anyone.

"Sasuke is an Avenger. He has lived his whole life for one purpose. Nothing else matters to him." _No one else matters to him_.

"Don't give up on him," the whispered words startled her and she looked up to find Sorano staring intently at her, pain mirrored in deep blue eyes. "He's going to need someone to come back to."

_She sounds like she knows…_ "I don't know if I can watch him leave again," Sakura admitted.

Sorano smiled gently. "You really do love him."

Pink dusted Sakura's cheeks, a shy smile on her lips.

"I'll take that as a yes," Sorano laughed softly as she leaned back against her rock, satisfied she had drawn Sakura's thoughts into a more pleasant direction.

"What about you?" Sakura suddenly asked.

"What about me," Sorano feigned ignorance. _This can't be good._

Sakura grinned mischievously. "You've been in Konoha for a little over three weeks. Surely someone has caught your eye."

Sorano laughed, a true genuine laugh. "Now I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

The green-eyed medic-nin stared at her skeptically. "You can't honestly tell me you haven't noticed the local eye candy."

"Hm, is that what you call it," Sorano was amused.

"Have you met Kiba? He's a little rough around the edges but sweet."

"Are you trying to set me up with someone," Sorano raised a brow.

"All work and no play makes a dull girl," Sakura winked. "I would know."

Sorano shook her head. "No thank you."

"I'd suggest Naruto, but Hinata's had a thing for him for years."

"And the dense man doesn't have a clue," Sorano chuckled.

"Yeah," Sakura agreed and then brightened. "Hey, what about Neji?"

Sorano sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm ignoring you now."

"You have to admit, Hyuuga Neji is one **fine** looking man."

"Hn."

"He seems stern and overbearing but he can be real sweet sometimes. Okay, I've never seen it personally, but I imagine he would be. He is such a gentleman after all."

"Hn."

"He's a genius, the first among his peers to make jonin, and he comes from a very prestigious and wealthy clan."

"Hn."

Sakura scowled at the snowy-haired woman. "And he's standing right behind you."

"Hn."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Nope."

Sakura sighed as she leaned back. "You're almost as bad as Naruto."

"Hn."

"Argh!"

* * *

Naruto sprawled languidly on the grass, staring up at the leaves while Neji meditated.

"When I asked Granny to put Sorano-chan on a mission, I never thought it would be something like this," Naruto mused.

"Tsunade-sama would not have done so if she did not believe her capable," Neji said without opening his eyes.

"But ambassador? To the Daimyo?"

Neji tilted his head. He had given much thought to this as well. "We know little about Sorano's past. Judging from Tsunade-sama's choice of mission and Sorano's acceptance, I suspect she comes from a family of high breeding, perhaps a clan like my own."

Naruto sat up. "I didn't think of that. She never talks about her family."

"She never talks about anything," Neji muttered under his breath. The woman was a master of obscurity.

"She said she's been wandering for years, never staying anywhere too long," Naruto frowned at the ground. "And she trained with her father until she was nine…" he faded off and looked up at Neji who was now watching him. "She really is alone, isn't she?"

"Yes," Neji agreed. "But she doesn't have to be anymore."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah," he said as he let himself fall back to stare up at the leaves again.

Satisfied with the return to silence, Neji closed his eyes and resumed his meditation. He was half tempted to check on the girls. Some niggling need to know where Sorano was at all times and if she was safe had inserted itself into his mind. But it would be rude, vulgar, and possibly hazardous to his continued health if he was found out. After two days, he still couldn't shake the image from his mind of her laid out in the darkness of the forest, so vulnerable and defenseless beneath him.

Feeling eyes upon him, he inwardly sighed. "What?"

"Well," Naruto said with a hint of amusement. "I don't think I've ever seen you so _interested_ in a girl before."

Neji's eye twitched but he refused to look at the blonde. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"You like her, Neji," he could hear him grin. "Whether you admit it or not."

"You really are an idiot." _Relationship advice from Naruto. I have hit an all time low._

A rustling in the brush caused him to open his eyes in time to see the girls step into the clearing, refreshed and relaxed.

"What, no dinner?" Sakura mock scowled at them.

"Uh, well, I can't light the fire and we didn't really decide on anything then you two skipped off to the spring and uh…" Naruto leaned away from the looming kunoichi. "Neji, a little help," he squeaked.

Neji smirked. "Get some wood, Naruto."

The future Hokage eagerly scramble up and shot off into the woods with Sakura's chuckle following after him.

"Poor man," she shook her head but her words lacked sincerity due to the grin on her face.

Naruto did not disappoint, returning with a huge pile of sticks that Sorano was more than happy to light. Sometime after dinner, the guys took their turn at the hot spring while Sorano practiced her chakra control and Sakura read a medical text she had brought along. Oddly enough it felt like a bit of a vacation, if not for the solid pack of nerves stirring in her gut. She could hide it well enough from the rosette kunoichi , but not from the Hyuuga. He always seemed to know what hid beneath the surface.

Cutting her practice short, Sorano returned to camp intent on turning in early, whether she could sleep or not. Hopefully, Sakura wouldn't continue advocating the virtues of Hyuuga Neji. It wasn't like she was unaware. No warm-blooded woman could be unaware of **that** man, though she did her best to ignore the way his mere presence tangled her emotions into a complicated knot.

Stretching out on her bedroll, she fiddled absently with a strand of hair, thinking about tomorrow. Was she really ready for this? She held no sworn allegiance to Konoha, but neither could she turn her back on this mission. It was a favor to Tsunade after all. She had given her word and that was solid enough for the Godaime Hokage.

She had such a simple part. Be pretty and charming and exchange scrolls. Then there was Neji's mission. Find the leak and eliminate him. It was possible she would be caught in between, but this wasn't what worried her.

What if someone recognized her?

Was she ready to be found? Was she ready to have her past ripped open and laid bare before her comrades? Was she ready to confront it?

"Nervous?"

Sorano made the mistake of turning her head to see Neji had seated himself against the tree beside her. His long hair was damp and hanging loosely over his shoulders. Her fingers twitched and she quickly glanced away, missing the amusement that drifted across his bright eyes.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she murmured.

Neji smirked. "You'll be fine."

"One can always count on instinct," she said.

Neji studied her upturned face. She had the absolute appearance of calm, but her fingers were fidgeting with the blanket beneath her.

"By all appearances, we are only here to exchange information. Since our visit is unexpected, the Daimyo's people will need to compile the information for the Hokage," he said.

"The mole will want to avoid a confrontation that could reveal his identity, so he will make his move at night, while the information is in my possession. As far as he's concerned, I'm just an ambassador, an easy target." Yes, she understood the mission perfectly, though she suspected there were some things he was leaving out.

"I don't like putting you in the middle of this," Neji admitted. "This man is an unknown factor. He could be anyone within the Daimyo's palace."

"Don't worry so much," she murmured.

_I'm supposed to be telling you that,_ Neji thought.

"You told Tsunade-sama that someone might recognize you."

Sorano stilled, fingers clenching in her blanket before she forcefully loosened her hold. "Yeah," she whispered.

Neji watched her with narrow eyes. "Will your presence endanger the mission?" he demanded.

"No," she breathed. "Only me."

He didn't like that any better. "If this occurs you will tell me."

"It's not your concern," she dismissed him softly.

Firm fingers grasped her chin and forcefully turned her gaze toward him. "You **are** my concern," he growled. "As long as you are a part of this mission you are under my command and will obey my orders. Is that clear?" his voice was sharp and stern, leaving no room for argument.

"Yes," she whispered, eyes wide.

He could see she was at a loss, taken off guard by his severity, frightened even. He took care to be gentle with her, rarely needing to exert his authority, but he refused to allow her to continue with this insistent belief that she must rely solely on her own strength.

Neji stroked his knuckles against her cheek before pulling away. "You're not alone this time," he said, now knowing why the Hokage had told her so. If only Sorano would accept it, believe it.

Her eyes softened and he knew another crack in her defenses had been inflicted, a bit of trust claimed. One piece at a time, she would be made whole.

* * *

To my treasured readers:

**blay- **(blushes) you're too kind. I remember seeing an episode after the Sasuke retrieval where Lee was practicing and Tenten was watching him with bright sparkly eyes. Ever since then, it's been impossible to imagine her with Neji but I have read some Neji/Sakura that was pretty good. I think they could work because Neji reminds me of Sasuke in a lot of ways. But Neji is definitely my first pick for an OC in this fandom. Kakashi maybe but he kind of seems like an absolute aloof bachelor to me most of the time. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Starchip13-** Neji can be obtuse at times, but he will get into the groove soon enough. I think it became obvious in his battle with Hinata in the chunin exams that he can read and understand other people's emotions better than his own. Denial can make for good plot twists but I don't like overusing it.

**Lil'rockgirl-** Actually I thought you might be a bit computer ignorant (like me) not lazy. Makes sense though if he's the administrator.

**Lt. RaIQ-** You can't corrupt the already corrupted. I am already the faithful minion of an evil genius. She is hopelessly incapable without me. I'm going to make Neji work for the kiss. Nothing ever comes easy in my stories.

**Haan-** Any humor found in this fic I credit to the characters. Seriously, they have more of a hand in writing the story than I do, that way nobody falls too far out of character. If I try to purposely make something funny it comes out really corny. When I mentioned my writing not flowing like it used to, I guess it is best to explain that I used to breathe writing. I wrote a 400 plus page novel in six weeks. I would get anywhere from two to twenty ideas in one day. Now I'm lucky if I get one idea inside three weeks and can write more than three sentences in one day. Everything feels forced. Trying to focus on anything gives me a headache but that's a temporary problem due to my health. I treasure having patience and loathe the necessity of it.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the 'center of gravity' in the story. If you mean the common thread, that would be Sorano as the story basically is about the relationships she develops with the Leaf shinobi (mostly Neji, Naruto, and Sasuke) and how they impact her life and she theirs. If you mean the theme, it would probably be what I have written in the summary. I originally started with a character that popped into my head that I wanted to eventually end up with Neji (cause I'm a hopeless romantic at heart) and then she ran off with the story and left me in the dust. I try to avoid most of the Naruto clichés though some are a must like Lee's 'passionate youth' declarations and Sasuke always calling Naruto 'dobe'. Let's not go overboard people. And everything regarding Neji's standing within the clan will be addressed later in the story when the two actually develop a relationship. I find most pairings involving Neji avoid the complications his clan can present. I won't. Your questions are good. Most of what people ask me is already written into the story at some point, but it helps me to keep things in perspective and fill in the holes I may have missed. Thanks for your reviews. They were fun to read. (I haven't had a temple built yet. Wanna design it? ;-D)

**Captain Fox-** ooh, a banana. I can make banana bread! I do miss lollies, especially Dum Dums. They were always my favorites. The sugar free crud just isn't the same. Sigh.

**Silver Fantasy-** Yeah, it wasn't supposed to be anywhere near that long, but the story just kept going and the plot kept getting better. You do realize that the first sentence in A Tale of Two Cities is actually about the process of reading the book. "It was the best of times", refers to when you finally finish it. "It was the worst of times", well, that part is obvious. I bow to your persistence.

**KanikaMeskhenet-** Wow, I am so happy you are enjoying my story so much.

**xKillerxShinobix-** It's good to know I haven't lost my touch and all those hours I spend revising are worthwhile. Thank you.

**Spazzed108-** Actually, I never had any intention of writing The Obsession until one of my readers mentioned the possibility of a sequel. At first I didn't want to bother with it but then all these ideas started to hit me. I still have ideas for that pairing, but I don't know if I will ever do anything with them because they aren't very solid right now. "Nothing keeps out a ninja like a locked door" is one of my favorite quotes too in this story. In some of the episodes I see Naruto lock his door when he leaves and I always wondered, what's the point? These people can blast through rock for crying out loud! Seems Sorano was thinking the same thing.

**Thank you­ **also to all of my chibi shy shadow readers out there hunkering down against the snow (if you're in the northeast) and anywhere else you guys might be hiding out. Stay warm!


	12. Of Feudal Lords and Shinobi

Disclaimer: Is it just me or did Gaara look two dimensional in the first episode of Naruto Shippuden? He has a plant on his desk. So cute. Anyway, none of the Naruto characters are mine. Sorano and a spattering of other OC's are. You can look but you can't touch.

**Of Feudal Lords and Shinobi**

**Chapter 12**

"Sakura, could you tie this for me?"

"Sure!"

With a deep cleansing sigh, Sorano patiently waited as Sakura tied her obi and straightened out her kimono.

"I'm guessing you haven't worn one of these in a while," Sakura said as she tucked and pulled.

"Even as a child they were only required for formal occasions."

"Good thing you have such a perfect memory or you would be in a jam, huh?"

"I figured that one would get out," Sorano muttered as she stepped back. "How do I look?"

"Elegant," Sakura smiled. "What did you have in mind for your hair?"

"Up, in a twist," Sorano said as she fidgeted with her voluminous clothes. "There are some hair pins in the side of my pack."

Sakura dug them out and sorted through the accessories. "Oh, this is nice," she held up a comb speckled with blue gems. It perfectly matched the sky blue color of Sorano's kimono. "Where did you get it?"

"Some store in Konoha. No one needs to know it's fake," she winked and Sakura laughed.

"I love your hair," the kunoichi chirped as she began twisting strands into place. Ever since she met the woman, she had wanted an opportunity to play with her pure white locks. "It's so soft and such an unusual color, though, it is a little short. Have you considered growing it out more?"

Sorano's eyebrows shot up incredulously. _Unusual color, as opposed to pink? She can't be serious._

"Seriously, you should consider growing it out," Sakura continued. "I bet Neji loves long hair, judging from his own of course."

Eye twitch. "Are you done yet?"

"Just a sec."

Sorano tired to relax as Sakura tugged a few more times on her scalp. It felt kind of nice letting someone preen over her for once.

"You know, I've been thinking," Sakura murmured softly, "about what you said last night, about starting over and giving Sasuke something to come back to."

Sorano went very still as Sakura finished up and stepped around to meet her gaze. "You can have that too, if you really want it." _Because I can see now you need it._

Sorano halted her thoughts before they could spiral down that forbidden path. "I'll think about it," she said and Sakura grinned.

"Good, because you look fantastic and we don't want to waste this."

"Words to live by," Sorano laughed with more humor than she felt as she fidgeted with her robes again. She had forsaken feminine luxuries ages ago and was more than relieved to have Sakura's enthusiastic and capable support.

"Stop that," Sakura slapped her hands away. "You look beautiful and dignified."

"I feel like I'm suffocating. Are you sure you didn't tie it too tight?"

"Now you're being finicky. Come on!" She latched onto her wrist, scooped up their packs, and dragged Sorano back to the campsite.

"Well, it's about time –oomph!" Naruto grunted as Sakura hurtled Sorano's pack into his stomach. For appearances sake, she would not carry it for the duration of their trip.

"Every minute was worth it, Naruto," Sakura glared at him and then beamed at Sorano. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

Sorano was too busy fidgeting again to notice the attention on her. As the silence began to grow, her fingers stilled and she glanced up warily. Naruto stared at her with saucer eyes and Neji had a funny little smile that made her blink. He had changed into traditional Hyuuga robes, layers of black and white. His hair was down with the ends tied back, not a single coffee brown strand out of place. He was the picture of prestigious nobility wrapped up in a handsome, deadly package.

"Nervous," he asked, amusement clearly reflecting in his eyes. Sorano was seldom left stunned and he enjoyed the wide-eyed look he garnered from time to time when he caught her of guard.

Sorano scowled. "Easy for you to say," she groused. "There's no way I can pull off Leaf Hurricane in this getup."

Neji bit his lip to keep from laughing at her disgruntled irritation.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Sorano-chan," Naruto grinned. "We've got you covered, dattebayo!"

Sakura chuckled. "Yeah, all you have to do is be pretty and charming." Both she and Naruto remained in their preferred jonin dress since they would not be seeking an audience with the Daimyo.

Sorano was almost jealous, but could not help smiling at their confidence. "Let's get this over with then."

* * *

_Why am I doing this?_ Sorano asked herself for the eighteenth time.

There was one simple reason why she hated populated areas. People always stared at her. Oddly enough, it wasn't much of a problem in Konoha, likely do to her association with some of the most formidable shinobi in the village. The men, and some women, in the Daimyo's palace held no such reservations.

Some eyes were curious, others less innocently so. She fought the urge to lean closer to the tall jonin beside her. Since when did she need anyone to protect her, especially a strong, handsome, powerful man? Dang it! Why did Sakura have to put those thoughts in her head?

Sorano tried not to scowl, knowing it would damage her current image. Pretty ambassadors don't scowl. She was sweet, demure, gentle, charming…and about to make herself gag. She could be all of those things when she wished, but it was just another façade forced upon her most of the time.

A faint vibe of animosity emanated from her pearl-eyed bodyguard to keep her admirers at a comfortable distance. It was anyone's guess if he was doing it consciously as his face was cold and blank, unapproachable, the exact opposite of her.

To her right, Naruto and Sakura were eagerly taking in the splendor around them. Even she was in awe of the wealth and opulence the Land of Fire displayed for the pleasure of the Daimyo. It had been so long since she had been around such things and it brought back some very unpleasant memories.

"Sorano-san," a stern-faced man dressed in multi-colored robes approached. His eyes seemed to stare right through her. "His Lordship will see you now."

_That was fast_, she mused as she glanced over at Naruto and Sakura. A simple gesture and an answering nod was the sum of their communication before she and Neji followed the man to meet with the Daimyo.

Sometime between when they reached the city to when she found herself entering the audience of the most powerful feudal lord in the Five Nations, the butterflies in her stomach had settled into a knot of cold determination. Instinct was a beautiful thing.

Her part was simple, really. Schmooze the Daimyo to continue good relations between the shinobi village and its country, and look pretty. Simple.

Her life was never simple.

"Sorano-san and Hyuuga Neji of the Village Hidden in the Leaves," the stern-faced escort announced.

Sorano stepped forward, bowed deeply, and waited for permission to rise.

"This is an unexpected surprise. Please, sit down."

When she raised her eyes she found herself caught in the intelligent gaze of a man far younger than she expected, though not quite as young as herself. His features were solid and strong, kindly aged by experience more so than time. Her heart skipped a beat in warning. This man was not to be trifled with.

Isamu Daijiro, Daimyo of the Land of Fire had knowing eyes. She felt exposed before him, dressed in clothes that belonged more to her past than her present. The mask she wore had been perfected to the point where she hardly knew who she was anymore, but with those eyes she felt he knew her for a charlatan. Only one man had ever seen past the façade into the shattered remnants of who she had been, even if only for a moment. She felt an overwhelming compulsion to reach out to him now and borrow a piece of his strength to steel her nerves. He must have felt her unease because he suddenly spoke and the Daimyo's piercing green eyes shifted away from her.

"We apologize for our unannounced visit," Neji said, his deep even tones washing over her like a warm breeze.

"I suspect there is a reason, but nonetheless I am honored to meet one of the Hyuuga clan."

Neji tilted his head slightly at the compliment and those green eyes were once more on her, but she was prepared this time.

"Sorano-san," he smiled. "I cannot help but notice you are not a shinobi and yet have been chosen to represent the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Your family must be of great repute."

Neji's fingers curled discretely in his robes. Sorano's past was an unspoken off-limits topic.

"My family is dead," she said bluntly and watched with morbid amusement as the smile faltered on that handsome face. He threw down the gauntlet, she met the advance with a crippling blow. No matter his curiosity, Isamu Daijiro would step more carefully now.

"My apologies, Sorano-san. It was not my intention to bring up unpleasant memories," Isamu-sama smiled sympathetically.

"You could not have known, my lord," she said, demurely dropping her eyes to her lap.

Neji didn't know if he should laugh or groan. It was more than obvious Isamu-sama had been searching for information. Sorano's answer was unexpected, blunt, and surprisingly effective. There was no doubt to her honesty either and a part of him ached for her loss even while he silently applauded the maneuver. And despite the mournful revelation, she was the only one comfortable in the ensuing silence. The woman knew exactly what she was doing.

The door behind them slid open and a woman entered to set a tray before them. Before she could pour the tea, Sorano decided to ease the intentional discomfort she had caused.

"May I, Isamu-sama?" she asked as she looked up at him through her long lashes. Even Neji felt disarmed by the timid plea. Sorano was quite the little actress.

"Please," the Daimyo gestured towards her and leaned back to attentively watch.

The tea ceremony was a graceful and elegant ritual and Sorano performed it flawlessly. She had a considerable obstacle regarding the long sleeves of her kimono, but she expertly held the silken material back as she delicately poured the tea without hesitance and without trembling. Neji could not help note that Sorano's training as a noblewoman had been very thorough. It didn't escape Isamu's notice either.

"Forgive me for broaching such a tender subject, Sorano-san," the Daimyo said softly as he watched her gentle motions. "But what is your family's name?"

She froze for a moment before she set the teapot down and sat back to meet the annoyingly persistent man's unnerving gaze. No doubt he decided since bluntness was so effective, he would make use of it as well.

"You are very curious, my lord," she said as she sipped her tea.

"I like to know who I am dealing with," Isamu smiled without humor.

Sorano gently set her cup down and met his gaze with cold eyes. Only a blink on his behalf revealed his surprise at the sudden change in the delicate woman before him.

"Do you make a habit of insulting the elite of Konoha," she asked, deliberately abandoning formality.

Isamu blinked again. "Excuse me?"

"You imply that I am not to be trusted and as I am accompanied by an esteemed member of the oldest and strongest bloodline of our village, you imply distrust in him as well as Konoha itself."

Another blink, this time from both men. Neji stifled the urge to shift in the rising tension when the Daimyo suddenly threw his head back and laughed.

"Woman," he grinned warmly, "I like you! Come now, tell me what brings you to my home."

Sorano didn't miss a beat. "Hokage-sama requests a report of the current state of affairs," she said, happy to finally get down to business.

"This is sooner than planned," Isamu frowned. "Usually such an exchange would not be made for another two months."

"We believe there is a mole among your personnel," Neji said.

Brows furrowed over green eyes. "How did such a thing come to the attention of Konoha?"

"Anbu intercepted a communications containing confidential information regarding both internal and border security measures. The prisoner revealed the source to originate here, though he was unable to disclose an identity," Neji said.

_Not good. _Sorano mused as she listened. _The things people could do with that kind of knowledge…_

"Unable?" Isamu asked.

"The exchange is made through several third party members to conceal the mole's identity."

"I see," Isamu scowled. "How do you intend to deal with this matter?"

"As far as anyone else knows, we are only here to exchange security information."

Isamu stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You intend to bait the mole."

"Intelligence has ascertained there will be an exchange soon. We will remain under the pretense of waiting for a compilation of the information on your end and we will not exchange scrolls until then. The mole will grow impatient and likely risk his identity to obtain our scroll in time for the exchange."

"I see," Isamu sat back and crossed his arms. "This mole could be anyone. I will commission the scroll. It will be real enough. No sense in wasting an opportunity. My only request is that the mole, when captured, be turned over to me."

"Agreed."

Isamu turned back to the lovely young woman who had remained silent through the exchange. "And you are to serve as a cover for this little operation, thus your non-shinobi status."

Sorano smiled. "Someone must."

His green eyes sparkled with amusement. "I am entertaining some foreign dignitaries this week. Sorano-san, it would give me great pleasure to escort you to this evening's banquet."

She inclined her head graciously. "I would enjoy that."

"Your entourage is most welcome as well. I am certain it will be an informative opportunity for your investigation," he looked at Neji who was regarding him with an eerily cold expression.

Sometimes Neji wished he wasn't the model of Hyuuga perfection, especially when his blood simmered with an emotion he could not identify. It felt startlingly similar to anger, but that was entirely illogical. Why should the Daimyo's attentive glances at his lovely companion bother him? Why did his too personal interest in Sorano make him want to juuken the man into a wall?

Neji rose with Sorano and respectfully bowed to the current cause of his aggravation. Thanks to the same genetics that prevented him from acting on his emotions, no one was the wiser to his inner conflict.

"Why was I not informed of those details," Sorano asked quietly as she and Neji followed their escort towards their assigned quarters.

"Because you are a cover." The words sounded cold and curt, but the message was not lost on her. Ignorance often made it easier to play the part and she wasn't exactly in the need to know circle due to her civilian status.

"Why did you accept his invitation," Neji asked before he could stop himself.

"It would have been rude to decline," she said, glancing sideways. His expression was still unnervingly blank, unreadable. She missed the gentleness she knew was hidden beneath this armor, something he obviously only revealed on rare occasions and to few. She couldn't shake the feeling he was angry about something.

"Besides," she continued. "You will be there, Naruto and Sakura as well."

His shoulders relaxed slightly, just enough to tell her his troubled thoughts were more of a personal nature and entirely off limits. So they fell into a comfortable silence until they reached their rooms.

She was silently thankful that they were adjacent to each other. Naruto and Sakura had been situated directly across from them. Safety in numbers and several other clichés raced through her mind as she considered the ornate door before her. None of it made the rising discomfort any easier to bear.

"Neji," she glanced over as he paused halfway through his door. "Tonight, at the banquet…" She faded off, not knowing how to voice her insecurity.

Silver orbs softened at the anxiety darkening her eyes. "Don't worry," he said. "You won't be alone."

Sorano leaned her head against her door and took a deep breath. "Yeah," she murmured and then smiled weakly at him. "I know."

Neji watched her enter her room before entering his own. In the midst of discussing mission details, he had momentarily forgotten Sorano's primary fear. Isamu-sama was entertaining foreign dignitaries. Would one of them recognize her? This past that she feared, how damaging was it? Would this mission in the end only serve to expose her to a danger she had previously been shielded from?

She was aware of the risk from the start and still had been willing to take the mission. The Uchiha had been right. Sorano was not ready to give up. By placing herself in personal and physical danger, she proved willing to fight for something outside of and beyond herself.

Would she run if confronted with her past or would she hold to the mission? Where would her loyalty prove to be, to herself or others?

This mission may have been requested with the intent to restore Sorano's confidence and give her purpose, but Neji was certain it would reveal depths to her character never before seen. Tsunade-sama expressed great faith in this woman of which so little was know. He was eager to see why.

* * *

To my readers:

**Haan**- I threw in a "dattebayo" just for you. Did you see? OC means Original Character and the responses I get about my OC's really help me with my original stories. I've never liked using the mind map technique because it flows in too many directions. I see plot more like a line on a heart monitor with the ups and downs of the ECG leads. It flows in one direction but has many building and fading suspense points. In school they taught us to see it as a single mountain with the whole story building up to the peak (climax) the resolution being the fast slide down the other side to the end. I rather have several mountains than just one big one if the story is long. I find it easier to focus that way, if I have an actual plot laid out. Sometimes the plot comes as I write following the basic law of cause and effect.

People complicate the matter of point of view. There are only three points of view to write in. **First** person (the one the story happens to) **second **person (someone telling the story as having been a witness to it but not involved. This is usually how autobiographies are done.), and **third** which is my preferred and the most commonly used also known as omniscient or god-like point of view because the reader is privy to know things about the characters (including thoughts) that the other characters don't know. This point of view is easier to shift around, having scenes or chapters following one character this time and another one the next. If you shift too often though, it can be confusing. Have I been doing this?

The "in your face" method of telling a story is professionally taboo. The rule is to show, not tell. Saying "tears streamed down her face" is better than "she was sad" or "she felt sad." It is better to show what the characters feel by their expressions and actions than to tell what they feel though at times it is necessary. Both reading and writing for me is like watching a movie. I envision the scene in my head and then try to accurately describe what I see so the reader can see the same thing when they read it. Does that make sense?

**Spazzed108-** Obsession/Possession connected so well because I didn't force it. If I had only a half formed idea, I never would have tried for a sequel and I think that is what a lot of people do. It was the first time I've done a sequel for anything I've written and I surprised myself with how well it turned out. Chapter 14 (one of my favorite chapters) has a **ton** of clues about Sorano's past that will keep your imagination alive for a while. I try to slip clues into each chapter, most being subtleties you have to read in her personality and how she reacts to people and situations. Feel free to guess whenever you want. I might even tell you if you are close.

**Anon-** Another chibi shadow reader! (huggles) I like the "all time low" comment too. It was just so fitting. In some of the filler episodes when Naruto gets put with Neji's team, you can see Neji's newfound respect for Naruto, but you can tell from his expression at times that he's thinking "what an idiot". I won't torture Neji as much as I do some of my male protagonists, but the best things in life don't come easy. And if you find any comfort in it, Sorano will have to do a little work of her own.


	13. No Turning Back

Disclaimer: The usual…with pickles.

**No Turning Back**

**Chapter 13**

Her faithless confidence was disheartening. One moment she was certain of her words and actions, only to question her very reason for being there the next.

Sitting down on the soft bed, Sorano gazed about the generous accommodations provided by the Daimyo. It came with its own bathing facilities as well as a balcony that looked out over the vast gardens. She made a mental note to ask one of the others to seal off her room with sealing scrolls, though Neji probably already thought of that. If they made it too easy for the enemy to reach her room, it would be suspicious.

Tsunade's request had surprised her on some level. She knew eventually the Hokage would attempt to draw her in by such means being more than aware of her restless nature. She just didn't expect it to be so soon, especially after her undignified breakdown.

Sorano grimaced at the memory. Had her parents been alive she would have been thoroughly scolded for such unbecoming behavior. There were parts of her not meant to be seen, weaknesses never to be revealed before the eyes of strangers. But it had been building for so long and with no peace to be found for her, she had shattered under the pressure.

Upon waking the next morning she had been utterly mortified that she had fallen to pieces in the arms of the Anbu Captain. She wondered if he would start looking at her differently, disgusted, seeing only a weak, broken woman. If he did, she couldn't tell. In fact, it seemed to have _encouraged_ his interest in her.

Within days of coming to Konoha, of promising Tsunade that she would attempt to make it her home, she had been pulled into a small circle of well meaning, if a bit odd at times, acquaintances who made it their business to keep her there by any means. She had never had anyone speak to her as they had done, eager to help when knowing so little of her. Even Sasuke did not begrudge her a few words of advice in his own malevolent way.

Sorano had made it a policy over the years to never let anyone get close. It was easy enough while she had purpose, never wanting an innocent to become entangled in the festering rot of her chosen path. But in the last four years of trying to forget, trying to ignore all that she was and all that she had done, so quickly she had lost all reason to breathe.

Life became a mere existence until a face from her distant past challenged her to be something more.

That was why she said yes to this mission, despite knowing the risks involved. She was not afraid of pain or death. She was afraid of losing the only chance she had left of being free from the past. There was simply nothing else left to hold sacred but this one hope.

Sorano was weary of running and Konoha seemed to be a good place to stop. Besides, if someone recognized her tonight, there really was nowhere left to go. For better or worse, there was no turning back.

Firm in this resolve, Sorano started dressing for the banquet. Sakura would come check on her soon, obviously more fashion-minded than herself. She was glad Tsunade had sent her apprentice along with them. The strong-willed kunoichi was welcome company and a likely reminder of what she could have been herself if her world had not fallen apart eleven years ago.

A brusque knock was her only warning before Sakura sauntered through the door already prepared for dinner in a lovely pink kimono embroidered with bright red flowers.

"Well this is exciting, isn't it," she announced happily as she immediately pushed Sorano into a chair and started rearranging her hair. "Neji told me Isamu-sama is going to escort you!"

"Did he seem upset with the arrangement?" Sorano asked as she watched Sakura's deft movements in the mirror. She still couldn't shake the feeling that something was bothering Neji. She wasn't as adept at reading people as he was, but something in his manner had changed towards the end of their meeting with the Daimyo. The only reason she noticed the chilling change was because she had unintentionally tuned into his chakra flow during the meeting to calm herself.

"No, but Neji is very good about hiding such things. Why?"

_He of all people should understand why I had to accept the Daimyo's invitation, yet I can't shake the impression that he doesn't approve. _"No reason. Will you be certain to keep an eye on Naruto? I don't want him attracting too much attention to himself. There's going to be a lot of foreign dignitaries there."

Sakura made a face. "He better be on his best behavior or I'll wallop him a good one. There, finished."

Just in time, as there was another knock on the door.

"Sorano-chan! Is Sakura-chan in there with you?"

Sorano smiled as Sakura rolled her eyes and went to open the door.

"What is it now, Naruto?" Sakura asked with experienced patience as she let the young man in.

"Can you help me with this?" He tugged at the formal clothing he was so obviously unused to.

"Stop pulling at it," she said, slapping his hands away as she straightened and tucked. The girl could have been a personal stylist if not a ninja, Sorano noted with amusement as she tucked the scroll left in her charge securely into her obi and stood up to join her companions.

Naruto glanced over at her and grinned. "Wow! You look great, Sorano-chan. We even match! Well, sort of."

She laughed softly as she concentrated on taking daintier steps. The formal dinner kimono was made of several overlapping layers in multiple shades of blue, the outer layer embroidered with silver doves and a multi-shaded obi threaded through with silver cinching the curve of her waist. The daring design barely hugged her shoulders, exposing an enticing amount of skin and accenting the gentle curves of her chest. Sorano was a woman after all and knew how to use her _assets _for distraction. The chosen shades of the kimono made her eyes glow like gemstones, memorizing even to her own sight. It was unlikely any man would be able to concentrate fully on her words tonight, thus eliminating at least half of the awkward conversations she anticipated. Of course, when she selected this kimono for the mission, she hadn't anticipated encountering a man as young and brazen as Isamu-sama either. The evening was bound to be interesting if nothing else.

"All done," Sakura said, stepping back to admire her work. Naruto didn't look half bad in pastel blue. It leant him an innocent air.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan. I'll never get the hang of these formal things."

"Some Hokage you'll be," she muttered. "Just make sure you remember your table manners. On second thought, maybe we shouldn't let you eat at all."

Naruto looked absolutely crestfallen at the prospect of no dinner. But before he could speak in his defense, there was another knock at the door.

"Popular, aren't I," Sorano muttered while Naruto, once more all business, opened the door. He must have been expecting someone else because he just blinked at the handsome man on the other side.

"Eh, who are you?" he asked, blue eyes narrowing suspiciously.

A brow arched imperiously over a green eye in reply.

"Good evening, Isamu-sama," Sorano said before Naruto could shift into over-protective mode.

An indulgent smile curled the Daimyo's lips. "Good evening, Sorano-san. Please, introduce me to your companions."

"With pleasure." Kami, she hated this formal crap. "This is Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura, both of the Hidden Leaf Village.

The two bowed respectfully to the man who glanced briefly at each before fixing his gaze on her again.

"I see. Well, then, if you are ready, Sorano-san." He held out a hand to her that she felt seriously tempted to ignore out of spite. Perhaps he had other things on his mind, but it irritated her how quickly he dismissed her comrades.

"We will wait for Neji," Sakura told her.

"Don't take too long," Sorano murmured as she stepped past them and placed her hand in the Daimyo's. His strong fingers curled around hers and pulled her gently into the hallway.

"Your companions are quite protective of you," he said as he tucked her hand through his arm, forcing her to walk close to his side.

"They take their duties seriously."

"If you were my charge," his gleaming eyes swept over her form, "so would I."

* * *

"Wow!" Sakura blinked at the now empty doorway. "**That** was Isamu-sama?"

Naruto scowled at her gaping fish impression. "I don't get it."

"The guy was gorgeous!" Sakura turned on him. "He has nothing on my Sasuke-kun, but still! Did you see the way he looked at her?"

**That **he didn't miss. Naruto shook his head. "No way, not Sorano-chan. I mean, sure, some girls might fall for the good-looking I've-got-my-own-country kind of guy, but not Sorano-chan. She wouldn't leave us for all of," he waved his arms at the luxurious room, "all of this!"

Sakura raised her brows at his rant and he hesitated.

"She wouldn't, would she?" he said with far less certainty.

"Sorano isn't quick to trust anyone, I know that much," she said.

Naruto let out a breath of relief.

"However," green eyes sparkled mischievously. "That's not to say this little development can't be useful."

"Eh?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. He could be so dense sometimes.

"Neji!" She said.

"Yes?"

The two turned to the doorway to see their stoic companion watching them with a raised brow.

"Uh, Sorano has gone ahead with Isamu-sama," she said with an overly cheerful smile. "So we should get going, yes?"

The second brow joined the first. "Right."

* * *

"Did you grow up in Konoha," Isamu asked as he refilled Sorano's cup. If he intended to loosen her tongue with wine, he would be sorely disappointed. Sorano could expel impurities with her chakra in a manner similar to her practice technique for chakra control. It made her tolerance practically unlimited, but she had precious little chakra under her control to waste so she would make this cup last all night.

"No," she said and with a mental sigh decided the man needed to be placated with more. Her evasive answers would only last so long and he was unduly interested in her, physical attraction aside. "I have only recently arrived."

This caught his attention and that of several others.

"How is it you have come to represent the Hidden Village if you are but a newcomer," a sharp-eyed man with a badly grown goatee asked.

"My family has long since had ties to the Land of Fire and the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and the Hokage has known me since birth," she said, all too aware of pearlescent eyes shifting in her direction. Neji had been placed a few seats away from her, just close enough to hear every word spoken but far enough to pretend ignorance for the benefit of Isamu's advisors and fellow dignitaries. It was comforting to have him so close at hand.

The man obviously belonged here more than she did. He possessed such natural elegance she almost envied him. Her heart was ricocheting against her ribcage and she feared it might show in her eyes or a subtle gesture. It wasn't the questions or the appreciative, and sometimes hungry, glances fixed on her that made her wish to bolt for the door. It was the gentle touches of the handsome lord beside her that stoked chills along the nervous fibers threaded through her body. The graze of his knuckles here, a caress there, subtle touches that seemed accidental to the unobservant eye, but the man was well aware of what he was doing to her. It was nearly impossible to withhold the rising heat in her face. Obviously he did not consider the conduct of "look but don't touch" applied to him.

Hoping to find a distraction to pull her mind back into focus, _this is a mission after all_, she glanced around until she sighted Naruto and Sakura. Naruto, the dear man, was paying almost painstaking attention to his manners, eating achingly slow, while Sakura efficiently charmed every man at the table. _No social anxieties there, lucky woman_.

Her gaze shifted again and stopped on the Hyuuga who was not quite as indifferent as she first thought. The slightest crease on his noble brow was a clear indication of irritation and his moon-bright eyes were fixed on her, well somewhere south in truth. Sorano followed the icy gaze to the hand currently resting on her wrist, a thumb brushing gently across her skin.

She barely managed to suppress the urge to snatch her hand away. The man's boldness was as unsettling as it was exasperating. But for the sake of her identity as a gentle-bred lady, such an aggressive reaction was unacceptable and damn if he didn't know it. One look into his green eyes sparkling with mischief was enough to tell her he was enjoyed her internal struggle. He knew well enough she wasn't everything she claimed to be.

"Dinner was delicious, Isamu-sama, but I am most interested in meeting the rest of your guests," she said as sweetly as possible.

Isamu smiled indulgently. "Of course, Sorano-san. We shall adjourn to the solar," he announced as he stood and offered her his hand. If she thought this would be her chance to put some distance between herself and the persistent Daimyo's attentions, she had seriously miscalculated.

Isamu tucked her arm securely through his as he led her out of the dining hall and into the solar, his dexterous fingers almost absently caressing her own. Sorano resorted to biting the inside of her cheek to draw her attention away from his fleeting touches and the shivers they caused.

It had been years since a man had dared to touch her with such familiarity. She had made certain to give no one the opportunity and that was easy enough given her self imposed isolation. Physical distance ensured emotional distance and both were necessary components to keeping her wall of defense intact. She could endure an attack on one element or the other, but heaven help her if anyone managed to break through both. Isamu clearly intended to do exactly that.

If she didn't get some distance soon, she was going to fly apart at the seams.

* * *

To my magnificent readers:

**Lil'rockgirl-** As for what is happening in Konoha at this time, I won't write it in because it isn't imperative to the plot. But if you are seriously curious… Sasuke is skulking around being broody and cool, Lee has opened up his own fashion clothing line called "Green Passion" and Hinata was buried in an avalanche in the library and is currently awaiting rescue by her golden shinobi.

**Savvy0X**- I found the name "Sorano" on a random site for Japanese names. I like to give my characters names with significance and this is especially important in the Naruto world. All of the characters in Naruto have a name that refers either to their family (Shikamaru Nara: Nara means deer and his family raise deer) or their techniques (Neji Hyuuga: Neji means spiral or helix because of his Kaiten) or even personality (Hinata means a sunny place). Sorano means "of the sky" and is significant to both her family and her technique, but you will have to wait and see why.

**Ballagurl06-** Anbu's interest in Sorano is the same as Neji's (though his changes in the story for obvious reasons). Sorano is favored by the Hokage, though Tsunade won't tell them why, and she demonstrates an aptitude for remarkable skill through her training with Lee, but her abilities still remain unknown. It's curiosity, plain and simple. Since Anbu is responsible for knowing all that is going on inside and outside of the village, you can see why Sorano would garner interest.

Where does inspiration come from? Good heavens! Couldn't you ask an easier question like how to calculate the rate of disintegration of matter as it approaches the sun at a velocity of 500,063 miles per hour? I might be able to work with something like that! Yeesh. Inspiration is different for everyone. It could be something you see on TV, something you experience in life, a sentence you read in a book, or even a person who catches your attention in reality. Anything that catches your interest and sets off a chain of fictional events in your mind can be considered inspiration. It is fickle and unpredictable. The best I can tell you is: when something moves you to start writing, let it and don't try to over control it. Sometimes I will take days to work out a scene in my head before writing it out, just to get through the harder, less inspired, sections. If one character doesn't fit in, try another one. When you do get inspired, don't fight it just because you think it's heading in a different direction then you want it to. Work with it and see where it takes you. That's about all I can tell you on that subject. I hope it helps.

**Lady Sonnambula-** Hm, I haven't really thought about how opposite in physical features Sorano and Neji are. Light and dark. Purely unintentional on my part actually. I've just been wanting to work with a character who had white hair. When I watch the anime in Japanese, I find using commonly known Japanese terms in my fiction much easier and it makes the story flow much better. I like the flavor of it, so to speak. But I only stick to common words because I personally hate having to scroll down in the middle of a story to look at the given glossary when people insist on using a ton of Japanese. Even with the jutsu's, I only use the easiest to recognize ones like Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori (writing "One Thousand Birds" just doesn't sound as cool, you know?) And of course, with Sorano's jutsus, I don't know enough Japanese to name them properly anyway. I'm glad you are enjoying my attempts in any case.

**TeenAnimeLover-** Ah, another one who reviewed every chapter. So cool. Thanks for adding me to your C2 too. Have a brownie. I think I mention the ages in the A/N of the first chapter, but anyway Neji, Lee, and Tenten are 20, everyone else is 19 including Sorano. I have a hard time writing with characters younger than that though in Japanese anime, anyone who is 16 acts like they're 20 most of the time. Plus I had to take into account Sorano's personal timeline.

It's impossible to completely avoid some MS tendencies because I am using an OC and everyone's perception of what qualifies as an MS is different. By some definitions, just putting an OC with a cannon character should make her an MS, but that is untrue because there are some really well written OC stories (few, but they are there) that stand heads and tails above the others in a class of their own. I think the Naruto world is even harder because most of the characters are guys and also the whole ninja factor, if not dealt with in a timely manner, could throw her over the top. If I put some of the things that happen in much later chapters into the beginning of my story instead, Sorano would definitely be an MS. Thus the need for many chapters and slow growth.

**Thank you** all for your wonderful reviews. So many! (swoons) Also thanks to all my chibi shy shadow readers that are still following my story.


	14. Bucket of Ashes

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (duh), just Sorano and a few OCs. The title of this chapter comes from the quote by Carl Sandburg, "I tell you the past is a bucket of ashes."

Enjoy!

**Bucket of Ashes**

**Chapter 14**

Neji spent half of the evening scanning faces, remembering names, and making a list of suspects. He would compare with the others later but he knew the man they were looking for hadn't been present. Isamu Daijiro was a shrewd man who kept a close eye on his subordinates. The leak was lower in the chain of command, but smart enough to keep his identity secret. They were going to have to catch him in the act, as he first suspected.

So he spent the other half of the evening watching the piece of heaven that had fallen to grace the humble presence of men. Even _his_ eyes lingered longer than necessary on the gentle curves accentuated by Sorano's kimono and the charming way tendrils of white would dance around her face when she tilted her head just so. Her ethereal appearance was memorizing and her performance flawless. Men and women alike gravitated to her pleasant smiles and genteel laughter. The serene demeanor she presented was irresistible and well practiced, but he wasn't fooled for a minute.

Her eyes kept flickering about as if seeking an escape. It was the only hint of her growing distress and he had to admire her continued poise. Sorano had no intention of behaving out of character for the sake of the mission and if that meant enjoying the obvious attentions of the Daimyo, so be it, whether he liked it or not.

He was definitely **not** liking it.

At the moment she was smiling brilliantly at one of the visiting dignitaries while valiantly resisting the urge to lean away from the hand stroking leisurely along the small of her back.

Keeping his expression carefully neutral, Neji calmly approached the small group.

"Excuse me, Isamu-sama. Sorano-san, may I have a word?" He locked eyes with her, reading unmistakable relief before she quickly blinked it away.

"Of course. If you will excuse me, Isamu-sama," she said almost shyly.

The Daimyo raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "If I must," he sighed.

Sorano bowed politely to the others before slipping her arm through Neji's and allowing him to lead her away. No words passed between them until he became aware of a slight tugging on his arm. Glancing down, he smirked as she discreetly wiped away the remnants of the kiss on his sleeve.

"That bad," he couldn't help tease.

"I don't like to be touched," she said flatly.

Neji angled his head to observe her out of the corner of his eye. Sorano was utterly, undeniably, serious. They no sooner stepped out onto the veranda when she practically pushed away from him. Out of sight from judging eyes, Sorano let the façade drop. Gripping onto the balustrade, her knuckles turned white as she struggled to take a deep, calming breath.

Neji frowned as he studied the rigid set of her shoulders. "Sorano?"

"I suppose it would be bad policy to break his fingers," she sighed but there was no mistaking the sincerity in her voice.

"Yes," he took a cautious step towards her, wary to keep a comfortable distance between them. Sorano's emotions were anything but predictable. "Though I would not mind seeing it."

Soft laughter shook her, almost hysterical in its breathless quality. It finally faded into a bone weary sigh. "Kami, what was Tsunade thinking? I'm not cut out for this."

"I disagree," Neji said as he ventured up beside her. "Sakura would have flattened him by now. Your patience is admirable."

Sorano stared down at the gardens below, feeling slightly reassured by his presence and words. Only now was she beginning to realize how difficult it could be to adapt to a true shinobi life. There were so many factors involved beyond skill alone. Her own insecurities and paranoia aside, did she really possess the ability to follow through at all costs?

"Neji, do you really think I will be able to—."

"It really is you, isn't it," a cold voice cut through her with icy disdain.

Neji turned to take in the newcomer, a thin, hawk-eyed man emitting palpable hostility. Beside him, Sorano stiffened like a bowstring pulled taut. Ever so slowly, she turned to face the diplomat, her expression remote and pale.

"I never thought I would ever see you here," the man smirked. "Wouldn't have even recognized you if you didn't look so much like your father." He reached out to touch her hair when a hand snapped out and clamped painfully onto his wrist. Startled brown eyes met narrowed iridescent, the unspoken message unmistakably clear.

**Don't touch.**

The man grimaced as Neji released him with a small jolt of chakra, leaving the offending limb numb and useless. Neji was in no mood for games when Sorano's nerves were already seriously frayed, though it seemed she had recovered some of her composure.

"Since when is the Land of Earth on friendly terms with the Land of Fire," she asked.

"One must keep up political negotiations. It is not wise to sever all ties," he said pointedly as he rubbed his numb hand.

"Sometimes it can't be helped," she said flatly.

"So you say." He glanced at Neji who had not shifted from his angled stance. "You keep interesting company, Sorano. I never had you figured as a defector, but then it does run in the family, doesn't it?"

"One can't betray what was never there," she said softly.

The man offered her a patronizing smile. "Nogitarou-sama is more than willing to forgive your brash actions if you return to his service."

"Seven years of training and planning for a single moment is hardly brash nor a mistake, Hitoshi-san," she said with more confidence than she felt. "My only regret is that it had to be done."

"And now you align yourself with the Hidden Leaf Village," he spat with contempt. "Fitting, for the daughter of traitors. Do you intend to kill me now to keep me silent? It is what you are good at, _Ryukaze_."

Sorano moved too fast for even Neji to react. Every ounce of blood drained from Hitoshi's face when she grabbed his kimono and jerked him to her. Her icy eyes held his for five strained breaths.

"Go back to your lord, Hitoshi-san," she said in a deadly soft voice. "Tell him to forget about little old me, because if he targets _anyone_ in Konoha to get to me, your life is forfeit."

Neji felt chills slide down his spine at the lethal intent saturating her chakra. The innocence, the vulnerability, was non-existent. Sorano meant every word.

"I-I am the D-D-Daimyo's advisor," the man sputtered and Neji was faintly surprised he didn't wet himself. Either the man was an absolute coward, or Sorano had one nasty reputation in the Land of Earth.

"Then do your job and advise him," she said as if she were talking to a child. She released him and gently smoothed out his wrinkled kimono as if nothing were wrong.

"Is everything all right here, Sorano-chan, Neji," Naruto's warm voice broke through the tense silence as he and Sakura stepped out onto the veranda.

"Yes," Sorano said with a deceptively kind smile. "Hitoshi-san was just _leaving_."

The Earth Country ambassador was smart enough to do just that, scurrying off with unexpected speed.

"Naruto," Neji said as he stared after the man. "Follow him. Make sure he leaves the city. Sakura, make our excuses to the Daimyo."

"It's still early yet," she said hesitantly as she glanced after Naruto who was already trailing Hitoshi.

"Tell him Sorano isn't feeling well and decided to retire for the night. It'll be enough," he said as he grabbed Sorano's hand.

She didn't offer a word of protest, remaining unnaturally silent and submissive to his direction. His mind swirled frantically with the unexpected onslaught of information, obscure hints of treachery and murder. Sorano didn't deny one word of it, reacting almost violently to the man's accusations.

_Ryukaze. Dragon Wind. _

The name had sinister implications but Sorano wasn't likely to explain it to him willingly.

They reached her door and he released her hand, suddenly aware that he had been holding it. Barely a half hour before she was ready to tear a man apart for touching her, but she hardly seemed to care that he had just forcefully dragged her through several hallways. Come to think of it, she had not reacted unfavorably to any of the close contact she received from himself, Naruto or Lee, and Lee had a definite penchant for outward affection.

But, there was an absolute difference between that and the way the Daimyo had touched her and he surmised that Sorano meant contact with intimate intent when she said she didn't like to be touched. Was it really physical contact she disliked, or the emotional entanglements it came with?

"Go inside. I'll return in a minute," he told her.

Sorano barely glanced at him before stepping into her room. He was being bossy and domineering again, but she lacked the stamina to care. The adrenalin rush from confrontation was fading quickly, leaving her weary of bone and soul.

It had been a risk, but having the risk become a reality left her feeling cold and dead inside. Now there would be questions and suspicions from those she wanted to trust, and once Hitoshi returned to the Land of Earth, there would be hunters. Her very real threat would not keep the ambassador silent and the Daimyo had been searching for her for too long to pass this chance by. Her brief, peaceful existence in the Village Hidden in the Leaves was coming to a swift end. This had been the risk she took, but the question remained: was it worth it?

She was seated at the vanity idly pulling the pins from her hair when Neji returned. She had left the door open for him so he wouldn't have to knock, but he closed it when he entered. If she didn't feel so numb at the moment, she would have been sweating senbon. The Anbu Captain knew how to get information when he wanted it and she hated how easily he broke through her emotional barrier the last time.

His face gave nothing away as he set about sealing the balcony and windows with sealing scrolls. Sorano watched him in the mirror, trying to glean a hint of his thoughts but was left only with the reminder that Hyuuga Neji was indeed a beautiful man.

The few remaining pins in her hair were forgotten as she studied the fine cheekbones, noble brow, and extraordinary eyes. His aristocratic features were crafted of a strong noble beauty so unlike the haunting beauty of Uchiha Sasuke. Neji was a man of cold control and power, his fire hidden deep beneath the indifferent façade. It always was the quiet ones that burned the hottest.

It took her a moment to realize those piercing eyes were staring right back at her. She didn't rush to look away. The man knew he was fine, why should she pretend ignorance? But holding his gaze was difficult tonight, so she turned back to freeing the last of her snowy locks from the firm prison Sakura inflicted on her poor head.

"It's likely they will strike tonight," Neji's resonant voice washed over her. "I put a tracking seal on the scroll just in case they do make off with it."

Sorano ran a hand through her loose hair to check for any pins she missed, not noticing the gaze that followed the motion with interest. "Okay," she murmured.

Silence settled over them for a few minutes before she felt like her nerves would shatter. "If you're going to ask then get on with it," she snapped as she looked up at him in the mirror again. The faint amusement in his eyes told her she had stepped freely into a corner.

_Infuriating man_. Sorano eyed the brush on the vanity, gauging the distance between her and her intended target.

"You don't want to do that," he said and she glanced up to see he was now standing directly behind her.

Neji fought the urge to smirk as she glared at him. The poor woman was on her last frazzled nerve and would only get herself hurt going into this mission without focus. While he had a plethora of questions regarding her apparently unscrupulous past, her safety on this mission was his primary concern. His curiosity would have to be satiated at another time, and there _would _be another time. Sorano was not a woman who could be forced, but she could be gently manipulated and coaxed if one was cautious and sincere enough. Subconsciously, she allowed it, even longed for it.

"I do have one question," he said as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders. Her skin was soft beneath his touch, but if she tensed up anymore she was going to freeze that way. "And I expect an honest answer," he sternly warned as he held her wary gaze in the mirror.

Sorano hesitantly nodded and waited, too distracted to notice his chakra easing into certain pressure points.

Neji leaned over her slightly, noting the faint scent of lavender. "How many of the Daimyo's fingers did you intend to break?"

She stared at him incredulously for a moment before her shoulders started shaking in silent laughter. He couldn't help smirk as she tried to catch her breath when she suddenly turned and punched him solidly in the stomach. The unexpected blow took his breath away with a very undignified "oomph", which only made her laugh harder.

"Neji, you really are a jerk," she said without a hint of malice.

He grimaced as he rubbed his stomach. "I'm not sure I deserved that."

Her laughter subsided into sporadic chuckles, the hysteria and panic lurking behind her eyes nearly dissipating into nothingness. It was enough to satisfy him.

A knock at the door banished the mirth instantly, but there was a lingering calm in Sorano's eyes when he glanced at her.

"Expecting someone?" he asked.

"No, and if it's Isamu-sama—."

"Enough said," Neji said as he went to open the door. He would lay out the welcome mat for the Akatsuki before he would let that man within breathing distance of her right now.

A young woman on the other side bowed politely. "His lordship asked that tea be sent down to ease the lady's rest," she said, indicating the tray in her hands.

"You may put it over there," Sorano gestured to a small table and the woman quickly obliged, leaving them with another bow.

Neji glanced after her, then back to Sorano. "Be sure to lock your door tonight."

Sorano fingered the dainty teacup. "I will."

Neji nodded before turning to leave when her soft voice stopped him.

"Neji," she said hesitantly and then looked up to meet his gaze. "Aren't you the least bit curious?" She didn't know why she spoke up, perhaps unable to deal with the fact that Hitoshi's words might have damaged the unspoken respect between them. Neji could have broken her easily enough, stripped her of **all** her secrets if he wanted to, but chose not to. That belied everything she had ever experienced in her life.

Silver eyes softened. He was beyond curious, but despite the dark secrets she harbored, there was something he found he desired so much more from her, something far more precious and closely guarded. "You will tell me when you are ready." _When you learn to trust me._

Sorano stared at him in confusion. "After what he said, you still trust me?"

"Trust is earned, Sorano," he said quietly. "And you have not lied to me yet."

She blinked, stunned by the basic truth she had never considered. Neji smiled softly as he bid her goodnight and stood outside her door for several minutes before she recovered her senses enough to lock it. He wasn't so worried anymore and just might get some sleep after all.

* * *

To my adorable readers:

**Savvy0X-** Sorano isn't wary of meeting a particular person but really just anyone that would recognize her. It was pointed out in the chapter if you didn't catch it (I think it was only one sentence) that the people who are looking for her had no idea where she was until now. This is why she always avoided villages and kept to herself. So much for that now.

Thanks to all who reviewed!


	15. Scream

Disclaimer: I lay no claim to the characters of Naruto. Sorano and the other OCs are mine.

Enjoy!

**Scream**

**Chapter 15**

She was feeling far too relaxed for a woman who's world had been turned upside down. Since she never touched the tea (drinking tea before bed time was seldom a good idea), she could only assume Neji had done something again. Her muscles felt loose and relaxed as if she had been soaking in a hot spring when not an hour before she felt strung tight and ready for battle. Maybe it had something to do with his technique?

With his Byakugan he could see the flow of chakra within a person. He could also expel chakra to disrupt someone else's chakra flow and now that she thought about it, she had felt a soothing warmth seep into her shoulders when he touched her.

_Why that sneaky little…_ Sorano sighed and ran her hands through her feathered hair as she stared at the ceiling, too relaxed to feel any real semblance of irritation. Well, she had to give him marks for cunning. She never knew she was being manipulated and she doubted her knowing about it was going to stop him from doing so in the future. The fact that he had done it so easily without her knowledge was frightening. She had been so eager to trust him and the others despite her reservations, never considering the power she gave in that trust, forgetting that sooner or later someone would take advantage of it.

Maybe she was overreacting. As memory served, he had only done it to her twice and both times had been when she was suffering serious emotional and mental strain. Neji had never hurt her and if she was to continue to work with him, she would have to trust he would never abuse that power over her. Easier said than done.

_"Trust is earned and you have not lied to me yet."_

It was true, what he said, but she couldn't help wonder how he knew with such certainty that she had never been less than honest with him. It wasn't that she couldn't lie, but rather that she couldn't lie to him, to any of them. The bond forming between them was fragile at best, but it _was _there. If he was willing to work with it, to protect it, so must she. If not, she was only wasting her time with this farce called life.

Maybe she should have some of that tea after all.

Throwing back the covers, Sorano scooted out of bed and wriggled her toes in the soft area rug. Only four days away from Konoha and she already missed her small bed and the cool wood floor of her apartment. The opulence of this place was unsettling. The room was too big, the bed too soft, or she was too awake and attempting to blame it on something other than the thoughts racing through her head.

Shivering as she padded across the stone floor, hopping from rug to rug where possible, Sorano decided she missed her cotton tank and pajama pants as much as she missed her bed. The silver sleeping gown she wore was lovely and soft against her skin, dusting halfway down her thighs, but was just another something that left her feeling out of sorts. Pretty things were a part of her past, but at this point it seemed nothing wanted to stay there anymore.

The tea had long since lost its warmth, she noticed as she took a sip and quickly spit it back out. Some things were only tolerable when either hot or cold. Abandoning the lukewarm concoction, Sorano stepped into the bathroom to give her teeth another good brushing. Mint replaced the tangy aftertaste of too strong tea and she washed her face again for good measure. She really needed to try to get some sleep. The target wouldn't make his move if she was up and about.

Gripping the vanity, she closed her eyes and tried to pull her scattered thoughts in and quiet them. The backlash of her encounter with Hitoshi would be brutal, but delayed. It would take the diplomat a few days to return to Earth Country by carriage. Give Nogitarou Imari, Daimyo of the Land of Earth, a day to decided on a course of action and another four days at the least for his people to reach Konoha and she had plenty of time to decide how to deal with this unsavory dilemma _after _her current mission was completed.

_Deal with the issue at hand_. Sighing softly, Sorano eased some of the tension from her body with this decision. Men in power were swiftly becoming the bane of her existence, but the unwanted attentions of Isamu-sama were nothing more than a nuisance compared to Nogitarou's intentions. Why couldn't people just leave her alone?

Her eyes snapped open when she heard it. Anyone else would have dismissed it as a nighttime hallucination. Sorano wasn't just anyone.

Stepping softly towards the doorway into her room, she cautiously peered around the corner. The balcony doors were open, a soft breeze stirring the curtains. The man had managed to deactivate the seals on the doors, but if he had managed to do that, then he should have noticed the bed was empty.

His back was towards her as he rummaged through her belongings, an easy enough target. She was halfway across the room when he stood up, scroll in hand. Sorano estimated it would take one solid punch to take him out, judging from his weak chakra signature… _Kuso!_

Strong arms swept around her before she could react, a large hand clamping harshly over her mouth. She stiffened in the iron grip, suppressing the instinct to rip the man to pieces. They never consider the possibility that there might be more than one person. How many were involved? If she played along, she would probably find out.

The first man spun around and gave her a clear view of his face. "She was supposed to be sleeping," he said in shock.

"She must not have touched the tea," the man holding her said, his too warm breath making her shiver. _So they drugged the tea. Looks like we are all bad planners this time around._

The thief grimaced as he studied her wide eyes and scantily clothed body. "We can't leave her now that she's seen my face but if we kill her, those ninja will be on us by morning."

She was forced forward as the man holding her step towards him. "We'll keep her until the deal is done."

_On no, I'm not going to be anyone's hostage!_ She started to struggle as she was dragged past the vanity and froze when she glanced towards the reflection. _No way…_

A muffled cry escaped her when something sharp stabbed her in the neck, fire searing through her body as she renewed her struggle…or tried to. Her muscles were limp by the time they reached the balcony doors and somewhere in between the panic and the darkness, she felt herself thrown helplessly over a hard shoulder.

* * *

"What did you do to that guy, Neji?" Naruto asked as he flopped down on the bed to stare at the meditating Hyuuga. "His carriage left the city at a dead run."

"Good," Neji murmured without opening his eyes.

Naruto exchanged a bewildered glance with Sakura.

"So, who was he?" Sakura asked.

Neji sighed. "An advisor to the Earth country's Daimyo." He looked at them. "He knew Sorano."

Eyes widened. "What?"

His meditation suitably disrupted, Neji pulled one knee up and draped his arm over it. "They knew each other. He called her a traitor and said all would be forgiven if she returned to the Daimyo's service."

"So Sorano is from the Earth Country and once served the Daimyo," Naruto echoed.

"I'm not so sure of the latter," Neji murmured. "She said one cannot betray what was never there. He accused her family of having a reputation for duplicity, but if no oaths were exchanged..."

"Tsunade-sama said Sorano had no allegiance and she would not have given her a mission if she didn't trust her," Sakura said.

Naruto frowned. "I don't like this. That guy could cause major trouble for Sorano-chan."

Neji's lips curved slightly. "I wouldn't be too worried for now. He was pretty scared of her."

Fair brows lifted at that. "You mean that guy was running from her, not you?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"What's that suppose to mean, Naruto?" Sakura demanded. "We girls can be just as intimidating as any one of you!"

"Hai! Hai!" the blonde waved his hands as he leaned away from her.

She sobered quickly. "Still, that isn't like Sorano."

"She seemed pretty shaken," Neji said with a concerned crease in his brow.

The three fell into a contemplative silence. After a moment, Naruto got up and walked to the door.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura asked.

"I just want to make sure she's okay," he said.

"She's probably sleeping. Besides, if you go in there you might discourage the target."

Naruto hesitated at the door, torn between not wanting to endanger the mission and needing to be certain their snowy-haired comrade was okay. His shoulders slumped with a sigh before he glanced back at Neji.

"Can you…"

Neji's eyes puffed full of chakra as he surveyed the surrounding rooms and he frowned deeply. Sorano wasn't in bed. He was hesitant to look but finally focused on the bathing chamber only to find she wasn't there either.

"Something's wrong," he said as he jumped to his feet. Naruto fairly bolted through the door with Sakura hot on his heals. Sorano's door was locked but the whiskered blonde didn't hesitate to bust through.

The three jonin skidded to a halt inside the door, eyes drawn to the open balcony.

"The scroll is gone," Sakura said as she checked Sorano's pack.

"So is Sorano," Naruto growled as he checked behind furniture for good measure.

Closing his eyes for a moment in concentration, Neji lifted two fingers and activated the chakra tracking seal on the scroll. Instantly a trail of blue smoke became visible to his Byakugan.

"The tracking seal is in place," he said. "Wherever the scroll is, Sorano is likely to be."

"She wouldn't have gone without a fight," Naruto was certain. "There had to be more than one."

"I agree. Sakura, stay here and make sure no one hears about this," Neji said as he and Naruto leapt off the balcony.

"Be careful," she murmured under her breath as she watched them disappear. "And bring her back safely."

* * *

Her head pounded like she had taken a direct hit from Lee, but she was pretty certain the fiery pain threading through the rest of her body shouldn't be there. She felt weak beyond belief, even her eyelids felt heavy, and was that sake she smelled? She didn't remember drinking.

"What should we do with her?" a gruff voice sliced through the burning fog, pulling her away from the sleep that still beckoned.

"Anything you want. Just keep her alive until dawn."

That voice she knew. He had been the one to catch her from behind and apparently wasn't going to stick around. That at least was in her favor. His steps were barely audible until a door opened and closed leaving her in silence.

A quiet shuffling warned her she was not alone so she remained still and tried to concentrate on purging the foreign substance in her body. The pain she must bear but without a semblance of strength she would remain as helpless as a newborn kitten.

There was a soft chuckle as the bed she was laying on dipped beside her. "We know you are awake, precious," the gruff voice spoke and she forced her eyes open, blinking to focus in the dim light.

Four unscrupulous looking men were grinning down at her with obvious intent, a fifth sitting at a small table pretending disinterest. She recognized him as the thief she had walked in on earlier in the evening.

_How long have I been unconscious? Do the others even know I'm gone?_

Meaty fingers caressing her cheek brought her gaze back to the one sitting beside her. She was too weak to pull away from his unwanted attentions and silently cursed the unknown shinobi for drugging her. To be at the mercy of a common thug…this wasn't going to be pretty.

"We all want our turn, Cho," someone said.

"You'll get your turn when I'm done," Cho growled. "I promise to leave leftovers."

The others grumbled as they shuffled out the door, leaving them alone.

Sorano twisted her wrists against the tight rope bindings as Cho continued to trace over her delicate features. She wasn't chakra bound so if she kept at it she could wiggle her hands free, but beyond that she lacked the strength to move. The drug was resisting her efforts to purge it and with a sinking feeling she knew it for what it was. Poison.

When roving fingers slipped into her hair and tugged her head back, Sorano felt the fearful reality of her situation settle over her like a heavy fog.

"I've never had a noble woman before," Cho said as he leaned down to nuzzle her exposed throat.

Sorano wrinkled her nose at his stagnate body odor. "Small wonder," she muttered and he chuckled.

"Spirited too. I'm going to enjoy this."

"You're going to die if you don't release me," she said but the threat hardly had impact with her voice trembling like that.

"Is that so," he said as he leaned back to meet her dark eyes. "Let's have some fun first."

He pinned her bound hands above her head before she could even think of putting up a struggle, not that she could have. With the poison burning through her body, she was as malleable as a puppet. The bed squeaked as he straddled her, putting most of his weight on her thighs while his free hand started tracing along the curved neckline of her sleeping gown. She shivered at the unwelcome touch and the foreboding gleam in his dark eyes.

"Have I mentioned how much I love this gown," he whispered hoarsely as his hand trailed lower, his touches harsher.

Sorano squirmed and twisted her wrists in protest. "Get off," she hissed before his thick lips crashed hungrily on hers, smothering a pained cry. She bit him hard and he pulled back with a growl.

"If that's the way you want it," he snarled as he yanked her head back. His teeth sunk deep into the curve of her neck and a strangled scream ripped from her throat. The already inflamed muscles shrieked in protest and her whole body locked up in shock.

Tears of pain and fear sprung to her eyes as his hand trailed back down her body, grasping at the hem of her gown. With his teeth still clamped down on her neck, she found she could only twitch and gasp painfully for breath.

She could wish herself unconscious.

It was close.

She could wish herself into memory.

It was never far.

But for the first time in her life, Sorano found herself wishing for what she never had before: a savior.

…

The wall promptly exploded.

* * *

To my adorable readers:

**Lil'rockgirl-** Actually, Sorano punched him, but it was like the way you would punch your brother (if you have one) when he annoys you too much. I think he kind of deserved it for teasing her when she was all stressed out. I won't argue against the whole "boys suck" issue. Most of them do, but I know a few guys who are real gems too. Don't condemn the whole species on account of a few idiots.

**Epoch Everlasting-** I know what you mean about female characters in anime. Have you ever noticed that most of the time the lead female is slathered in pink? And their personalities are always chipper but clueless. Do teenage girls in Japan really act like that? The OOC feeling you're getting may be because of the circumstances I've put the characters in. I never change their personalities intentionally, but if there is anything you think I can tweak to make it better let me know. Neji is hard because I don't have much info on him. After the time skip I know that he is somewhat more cheerful and docile though still serious so that's what I shot for. Same thing with Sorano. I'm all open to constructive impute. I adore Naruto and I wish I could have him in every chapter, but there are too many characters involved to do that. He does feature heavily in some of them (ie: chapter 16) and he is one of the few, other than Neji and Sorano, who remains constant through the majority of the story. I also have a companion one-shot to a later chapter on him and Hinata. But everyone has to wait for that.

**Thank you** everyone who took the time to leave me such wonderful reviews. Also thanks to all my chibi shy shadow readers who are still reading. I'm glad you all are still enjoying this fic. Exciting things to come up ahead!


	16. Fists of Fury

Disclaimer: um…uh…yeah, not mine.

Enjoy!

**Fists of Fury**

**Chapter 16**

The weight pressing down on her suddenly lifted and Sorano gasped and coughed in the dust filled air before she was yanked harshly off the bed. Tripping over the inert body on the floor, she fell against Cho, her legs weak and rubbery from the lingering poison.

Through waning vision she saw a human size hole in the wall where the sounds of battle were unmistakably clear. Blinking furiously at the orange blur, several actually if she wasn't mistaken, Sorano took a half step towards the vaguely familiar before she was jerked back.

"Not so fast, precious," Cho growled as he looped an arm around her waist and half dragged, half carried her to the door. "We still have unfinished business," he breathed into her ear.

Sorano squirmed in his hold, but could do little more than hang like a limp doll. The door before her was flung open and she was carted outside into the cool darkness. She tried to summon strength to draw the attention of the orange blur and could only whimper with growing pain and panic.

"Let her go," a deadly calm voice sliced through the fog in her mind and halted Cho's forward momentum. A sharp blade pressed to her throat, forcing her head back and her eyes locked with quicksilver fire.

Her vision blurred with tears of relief at the sight of menacing eyes dilated with chakra. There was the faintest shifting of his focus as he glanced her over for injury, the angry crease in his brow deepening.

"Back off," Cho growled as he pressed the kunai into her skin, a thin line of blood slipping down the pale column of her throat. Silver eyes followed the trail of red, fists clenching in contained rage.

The sharp pain snapped her from the frozen world of shock and an acute sense of reason struck her. As long as the enemy held her prisoner, Neji couldn't attack.

_Just maybe I have enough chakra left,_ she thought as she wriggled her wrists to finish freeing herself with the most basic of shinobi tricks. Her wrists were scraped raw by the time the rope slipped loose, but her only thought was the sequence of hand signs she needed to execute quickly and discreetly before Cho could stop her.

_Just enough,_ she prayed. _I need just enough._

Within a blink, Cho found himself grasping at a pile of downy white feathers. He looked up in time to see angry Byakugan eyes just seconds before his heart burst in a blast of chakra.

* * *

It was over too quickly to quell the simmering heat in his blood. The man deserved to suffer for what he had done to Sorano, for everything he would have done had he and Naruto not arrived when they did. But he wasn't going to give him a chance to touch her again.

Spinning in step, he found Sorano crumpled against a tree, her meager strength completely spent from the Substitution jutsu she managed to use.

"Sorano," he grasped her shoulders and pulled her into his arms, her head lolling weakly against his shoulder. Her breathing was strained, eyes wide and unfocused, as he cradled her face and brushed at the damp tracks of tears on her cheek. She whimpered when his hand slipped down to her neck and his heart squeezed painfully.

"Shh," he hushed her as he gently tilted her head back to inspect the cut on her throat. It was shallow, barely a scratch to any self-respecting shinobi and hardly explained her obvious pain. Brushing the bloodstained tips of her hair back, his eyes followed the slopping curve of her neck to the source.

Neji growled softly wishing the man was alive so he could kill him again. Instead of one swift blow, he would cut off the chakra points around his heart and lungs and let him choke to death on his own blood, a fitting end for a heartless beast. Lithe fingers hovered over the deep bite mark that mangled her smooth skin, wanting to erase her pain and knowing he couldn't. Checking her over for any more injuries he might have missed, his hand paused once more over her exposed legs. The irrelevant thought struck him that she needed to spend more time in the sun. That thought was followed closely by the desire to see if her skin was as soft as it looked.

Her nightgown was short, fully exposing the long, well muscled limbs from the tips of her dainty toes to the dark bruises forming on her thigh in the shape of a hand print. A dark scowl marred his handsome features as his hand hovered over the hem of her gown. Before he could move it to see how far up the bruising went, trembling fingers wrapped loosely around his wrist.

"Neji," her voice was just short of a whisper.

He met her dark eyes and felt himself fall for three eternal seconds.

"I'm sorry," she said. "There was m-more than one."

"Did you see?"

"The thief is h-here. The other c-caught me from behind but I s-saw in the mirror," she released his wrist and reached shakily to touch his hitai-ate. "He's from Konoha."

"You're certain?" he asked and she nodded jerkily.

"All right, take it easy," he soothed as he brushed at her hair. "You're part is done. Leave the rest to us."

A thump and several groans made him glance over his shoulder as Naruto piled his unconscious opponents.

"Oi, Neji, I thought we were suppose to take them alive," the blonde said as he kicked at the lifeless lump that was Cho. Neji didn't reply and when Naruto looked up, his blue eyes fixing on Sorano, he muttered, "Never mind."

"Which one was the thief," Neji asked her, shifting her in his arms so she could see. Silently she pointed at one of the limp forms.

"That guy?" Naruto frowned. "He hardly even put up a fight."

"There were two," Neji said. "She said the other wore a Leaf hitai-ate."

Naruto's eyes narrowed sharply as he glanced over the pile of second-rate thugs. "Interrogation is more up your alley than mine."

"Take Sorano back and have Sakura check her over. She was probably drugged or poisoned."

Naruto didn't need to be told twice as he hurried over to her side. When Neji pulled away from her, she shivered in the cool night air. Naruto quickly shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"What about the Daimyo," he asked as he gathered the shivering woman into his arms. She curled eagerly into the welcomed source of warmth and strength and he marveled over how slight she really was.

"Don't let anyone see you return. This shouldn't take long," Neji said grimly.

Naruto bared his teeth in a feral grin. "Have fun."

"Hn."

Focusing chakra into his feet, the whiskered blonde sprinted into the night. He hazard a glance at the woman sheltered in his arms as he flew through the trees, his own emotions in turmoil. Her pure white hair was tainted with her own blood and his heart clenched at the desecration.

This was his fault. If he hadn't requested the mission, Sorano never would have been in danger. She would be safe back in Konoha, muddling through her melancholy and safe from her past and indiscriminant crooks. Never mind that she could handle most men with her natural taijutsu talent.

She wasn't Academy trained, not even a ranking ninja in Konoha, but she had taken the pain for his village without complaint. She deserved better than this from them. If they wanted to convince her to stay, to **join** them, then this mission had been a failure. What woman in her right mind would subject herself to this level of danger for a village she had known for all of a month's time?

She was asleep now, her strained breathing eased slightly but still halting. Naruto hugged her closer to his warmth. He would make this up to her somehow, someway.

* * *

Sakura paced in frustrated boredom, waiting for some news from her comrades. Her sole duty was to make sure no one became aware of the current situation and to wait for Naruto and Neji to return. Beyond that, she was left with her thoughts and the rising resentment that she was missing out on some serious thrashing.

The boys got to have all the fun.

Sensing someone approaching her door, she flung it open to find Naruto with his fist raised to knock. He blinked at her in surprise and she resisted the urge to shake him for information.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Come with me," he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room to Sorano's suite. The moment she stepped into the room after him, he poofed out of existence.

Coughing as she waved the smoke away, Sakura looked up to see the real Naruto sitting on the bed cradling an unconscious Sorano. The solemn expression on his face did nothing to ease her concerns.

"I can't get her to let go," he said quietly as she approached him to see slender fingers clenched tightly in his shirt.

She set about easing him free from the death grip while he filled her in on what happened.

"Neji thinks she was drugged or poisoned," he finished as he was finally able to set her down on the bed so Sakura could examine her. He stepped back and shifted uneasily while watching Sakura's hand glow with chakra.

"He was right," she said after a moment. "It's a mild neurotoxin, designed to immobilize, not kill."

Naruto sighed with relief. "That's good."

"It's painful," she paused and cocked her head curiously. "It's presence is oddly spread thin as if she tried to purge it herself, but she wouldn't have had the strength to perform a poison release jutsu, provided she even knew one."

"Can you get rid of it?" Naruto asked though he already knew.

"Not a problem," she murmured as she molded her chakra while eyeing the shallow cut on Sorano's throat. "Go fetch my pack, will ya?"

The future Hokage bolted out of the room, eager to put himself to use. Sakura couldn't help smiling. He was as much a man of action as he was of words. He came skidding back by the time the remnants of the poison were leached from Sorano's body.

Naruto set the pack on the bed and Sakura ruffled through it for a clean cloth and antiseptic to clean the wound before closing it.

"She'll sleep for quite a while," Sakura told her anxious friend. He was so adorable when he fidgeted. As a genin, she found him to be nothing but annoying, so loud and brash about everything. But over the years, after working with so many shinobi bent on grounding their emotions out of existence (coughSasukecough), she found Naruto's honest habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve both refreshing and encouraging. Emotions were what separated them from the beasts after all.

"She's exhausted her chakra. The Substitution jutsu must have drained her," Naruto mused with a frown. "I thought her control was improving."

Sakura finished with the cut and drew her finger across it to close the wound into a thin, pale scar that would fade in a few days. Brushing next at the bloodstained tips of her hair, Sakura sucked in her breath sharply.

"What," Naruto asked as he stepped up to the bed and followed Sakura's gaze to the raw wound on Sorano's neck. The pale skin was already bruising purple around the bloody teeth marks and Naruto growled, his eyes flickering red.

"What kind of monster…" he trailed off, too choked with anger to speak.

Sakura quickly cleaned the wound, keenly aware of the violent chakra seeping from him. "Did Neji see this," she asked worriedly. _If he did…_

"I don't know," Naruto ground out as he attentively watched her tend the wound. "It's likely."

She made quick work of it, healing the mark over to just a faint bruise with pale teeth impressions. It too would fade completely in a few days but she wished she could make it sooner. Sorano didn't need any lingering reminders of this night, and she hoped, she prayed, there was nothing more severe.

Their non-shinobi friend looked frighteningly vulnerable laid out on the bed in the delicate sleeping gown. Sorano was a soft, gentle person, tolerant of everyone and everything, but Sakura knew she was hiding her strength. The woman was no more fragile than she was. She once had the bruised ribs to prove it. If anything, Sorano's damage was emotional and possibly mental as well. She saw the symptoms often enough in shinobi returned from long, hard missions. Internal scars.

But it was especially unsettling to see her like this, bruised and bleeding from the vicious, unwanted attentions of a man. It must have been terrifying, rendered helpless with the effects of the poison, not knowing where she was, if anyone would find her in time.

A cold knot formed in her stomach. _**Did**__ they make it in time?_

Her green eyes roved over Sorano's body, looking for signs beyond the rope burns on her wrist which she quickly healed, and hesitated at the hint of bruising peeking out beneath the hem of her nightgown.

She was a trained medic and this wouldn't be the first time…but still her hand shook as she brushed the cloth higher, revealing a dark hand print nearly engulfing Sorano's entire thigh.

Naruto breathed in sharply beside her.

"It's just a bruise," she said quickly. "Her clothes aren't torn, there's no blood, and I can't sense any scar tissue." She didn't know who she was trying to reassure more, him or herself.

Naruto stood rigid and still, his clenched fist shaking with repressed rage. "But there is still a possibility," he said through grit teeth.

Sakura's hesitation was answer enough and the blonde snapped.

He slammed his fist into the wall, plaster and wood shattering on impact. "This never should have happened!"

Sakura jumped at the vicious display of temper. "Naruto, this isn't your fault."

"This mission was my idea, Sakura," he said as he turned on her, his pupils slit in agitation. "I thought it would help her feel wanted and needed, that it would make her want to stay in Konoha." He ran his hands through his hair and clenched fistfuls of the wild blonde strands. "She never should have been here. Kami, this is all my fault!"

The wild look in his eyes terrified her and Sakura grabbed his arms and shook him fiercely. "Stop it, Naruto! Stop it this instant!"

Either her piercing shriek or the rattling of his teeth jolted him into wide-eyed silence.

"Sorano is no innocent," she said, green eyes hard. When he opened his mouth to protest, she grabbed his face and pulled his head down close to hers. "I know you want to believe otherwise, but Sorano is no innocent. She knew what she was agreeing to. She knew the risks. For heaven's sake, Naruto, she's been on her own for eleven years!"

His eyes were beginning to calm, the wildness fading slowly into reason again, true blue human eyes.

Sakura smiled gently then. "I know she would never want you to blame yourself for something no one could foresee."

He nodded hesitantly and she drew away from him, satisfied that he was calm enough to contain the volatile emotions still swirling beneath the surface.

"She's stronger than you think, Naruto. You just have to believe that, no matter what may or may not have happened." She turned back to begin healing the bruises on Sorano's thigh.

Naruto watched her silently, caught in a limbo of feeling. "Now I know why Neji killed him with one blow. With Byakugan, he must have seen…" he swallowed hard.

He was an elite jonin and he had born witness to the basest and most sickening levels men could sink to, but the abuse of his friends was not something he could forgive, especially his female friends. Their internal strength never ceased to surprise him. He would just have to believe Sorano held this same strength within.

No, he knew she did.

After healing Sorano, Sakura tucked her under the covers and settled down to wait with Naruto for Neji's return. They didn't have as long to wait as they thought.

The Anbu Captain's face was stone cold blank, but one could easily feel the controlled lethal intent he emitted.

"Did you get a name," Naruto asked eagerly.

Neji nodded sharply, his silver gaze drifting beyond them. He strode silently across the room and lowered himself to the edge of the bed.

"How is she," he asked, his voice unnaturally soft.

"I removed the poison. It was a mild toxin designed to paralyze, not kill. Her chakra is exhausted, but other than that, no major injuries that I can see."

Neji's jaw clenched tightly, no doubt wondering about what Sakura might not be able to see. Finally standing, he gave them his full attention.

"Our target is a chunin traitor named Jiro. He knows his time is limited and will attempt escape tonight. We need him alive."

"What a shame," Naruto growled as he cracked his knuckles in anticipation.

Neji smirked wickedly. "All the more fun for Ibiki."

"I'll stay with Sorano," Sakura volunteered, green eyes glinting. "Just make sure you save a piece for me."

Naruto's lips pulled back in a feral grin. "I'm not making any promises."

* * *

**Note- **For those who don't know or remember, Ibiki is the head of Anbu Interrogation and Torture.

**Anon- **Actually, I don't think there are too many cliffhangers in this story, but I do enjoy the ones there are. I'm not surprised you could guess at some of what would happen. There is always some level of predictability in writing but it is more accurate to describe it as a logical sequence of events. It is actually a great compliment that you are on the same "wavelength" as me because that means the events in my story flow naturally and don't leave the reader wondering how two plus two equals five. There has to be plenty of room for mystery and surprise too though or then it really is just predictable.

I can guarantee things won't be easy on Sorano's end either with regards to her relationship with Neji. After all, she has to deal with the Hyuuga Clan. (shivers) I think the interpersonal relationships between the characters of Naruto are too important to ignore. Most stories do focus only on the pairing's romantic relationship, but I wanted to envelope Sorano into the world of friendship and camaraderie as well, so logically the interaction of the cannon characters is vital in this…and provides great opportunities for humor.

If you've read my other fanfics, you know my titles tend to have a double meaning. I don't like using a character's name or something so specific as a title either, but I have made exceptions when the character themselves represent a double meaning. I had a terrible time finding an appropriate title for this fic and settled on **Ryukaze** because it isn't just a name but a representation of everything Sorano loves and hates about herself and incidentally the same could be said of most ninja. Naruto himself is a powerful shinobi, but I doubt he enjoys killing at all, only doing so to protect his friends and village.

Sorano is **definitely** not innocent or guiltless, as is slowly starting to be revealed. Her carefree nature that Naruto wanted to believe in so much is just a ploy to hide what she really is. In fact, that is the number one reason why she doesn't want to become a shinobi of the Leaf, because she doesn't want that part of her personality to be revived. Remember, she told Neji she didn't want to be afraid of herself anymore.

**-**So many wonderful reviews! Well I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well. Major fluff alert for chapter 17!


	17. Sentinel of Solace

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Naruto, but Sorano and all other OC's are mine.

Enjoy!

**Sentinel of Solace**

**Chapter 17**

She took her time waking up, having learned from experience to regain her senses fully before taking action. There was less pain, a lingering fogginess, and with it came the suspicion that she was out of immediate danger. She was warm, the bedding soft, and the silence broken only by the near inaudible breathing of someone beside her.

Cracking her eyes open into darkness, Sorano blinked for a moment before cautiously turning her head towards the presence beside her and was greeted with the sight of tousled pink hair. She stared at the woman sleeping peacefully and sighed with relief. It may have only been a horrible dream, but she knew better and she wouldn't try to wish it never happened. It was impossible for her to ever forget and she had long since learned to stop trying.

Testing the movement of her limbs, a shift here, a finger twitch there, she found herself fully mobile but still unnaturally weak. The poison that had previously seized her body was now gone, but the effects still lingered and her chakra was still frustratingly low.

The feeling of absolute helplessness was not something she was accustomed too, even after having locked her chakra away years before. Back then it had been a sacrifice she was willing to accept, and knowing her self-imposed limits, she was eminently careful never to cross paths with such dangerous people. She had always been able to take care of herself before but having that power stripped away, left to the mercy of someone else's will, not knowing if anyone would even come to save her…she never wanted to feel that vulnerable ever again.

Careful to not disturb the sleeping kunoichi, Sorano slipped out of bed and nearly crumpled to her knees. She felt dirty, used, and wanted only to wash away the feeling of sweaty hands and grasping fingers. Steadying herself, she cautiously took a step, then another, slowly making her way towards the bathroom.

Green eyes flickered open to watch her for a moment before closing and returning to sleep.

Sorano never should have looked in the mirror, but it was a habit born from some deep morbid fascination with knowing the absolute, unguarded truth. Her face was unnaturally pale and gaunt, hair matted from slumber and stained with dried blood. It wasn't a pretty sight. Turning away from the world worn reflection, she filled the tub and sunk into the steaming water with a whimpering sigh.

Eyeing the wide array of soaps and shampoos lined up beside the basin, Sorano took a moment to sniff through the contents. She rarely indulged in scented products beyond the faint fragrance of lavender. Scents drew attention, gave away one's position to the enemy whereas lavender was subtle and difficult to notice unless one was standing intimately close. But for the moment…

A honey sweet scent captured her senses. Jasmine. Her mother loved jasmine.

Smiling faintly at the memory, she proceeded to scrub her skin, erasing one memory with another. The water tinged pink when she washed the blood from her hair, restoring its pure coloring once more. Finally feeling clean, she climbed out and toweled off, only to realize she had not brought any clean clothes into the bathroom with her. She could put her nightgown back on, but…Sorano shivered at the thought. It would only leave her feeling vulnerable again.

Spotting a creamy white robe hanging on the back of the door, she eagerly wrapped herself up in its warmth as if it were armor against the world. After running her fingers loosely through her hair, she drained the tub and stepped back out into the dark bedroom.

She was still very tired but unwilling to rest, knowing what always followed such incidences. Nightmares, old and new, she didn't want to face them alone.

Sakura had rolled herself up in the blankets and Sorano had no intention of waking her. She must have been watching over her all night, provided it was still the same night. Sakura needed her rest and she…she needed something more.

* * *

Someone was in his room, but he remained limp in a pretense of slumber, waiting and listening. Their steps were soft, hesitant, and nearly silent. He could sense no ill intent, but that did not make the intruder friendly. He resisted the urge to activate his Byakugan, knowing it would give away his awareness. If the intruder got close enough, he wouldn't need it anyway.

The intruder paused at the foot of the bed for a moment before shuffling to the opposite side from where he lay. The covers shifted and a gentle weight dipped the bed slightly beside him. His visitor snuggled into the pillows and finally stilled.

Beyond curious at this point, Neji blinked his eyes open and glanced over to find Sorano curled in a fetal position beneath the blankets. Her whole body was tense and as he stared in surprise, he noticed her faint trembling.

Rolling onto his side, he leaned up on his elbow to gaze down on her profile. The moonlight lent her an unearthly glow, death-like, as she stared blankly at the wall, clutching at the pillow.

Hesitantly, he reached out to touch her shoulder, his fingers just barely grazing the soft material of her robe. She started and he jerked back in alarm. Did he hurt her? Scare her?

"Sorano—." He didn't get to say more when she suddenly turned into him and buried her face in his bare chest. His arms instantly wrapped around her as she clung to him, shivering violently with an internal chill.

Neji relaxed back into the pillows and cradled her close, gently drawing his fingers through her wet hair. She had taken a bath and the sweet essence of jasmine clung to her. It must not have been enough to make her feel complete again.

He wasn't going to question why she chose to come to him for comfort. Naruto was usually the one kunoichi would turn to, or Lee, both being so outwardly warm and open. His own serious nature tended to warn them off, but not Sorano. His heart swelled with an unknown emotion at having her in his arms again, and by her own choice. There was nothing more he could do for her now and he would be eternally grateful that she trusted him with this vulnerable side of her.

Gradually her shivering stilled and some of the strain eased from her body, but she was still very much awake and not in the least bit ready to let go. That suited him just find as he nuzzled her freshly washed hair and took a discreet breath. Her body was soft and warm against him and having her there was reassuring. Since when did he become such a worrier?

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked though he had a pretty good idea.

"I was careless."

Neji gently pulled back enough to look into her eyes, but she kept her face adverted. Her suddenly timid nature was endearing, but he would not allow her to blame herself. He languidly caressed her cheek before tilting her chin up.

"The fault is mine alone," he told her firmly, ignoring the sickening pain of his own guilt. "I underestimated the enemy. I put you in danger. The fault is mine."

She tried to shake her head, to deny his blame, but the grip on her chin was firm, his eyes narrow and piercing.

"Sorano," he warned, his voice almost a growl.

Slender fingers wrapped around his wrist, but she didn't try to pull away. "I knew the risks…"

"You are remarkably forgetful for someone with an eidetic memory," he said with dry amusement. "You are not a ranking shinobi and even if you were, you are still my responsibility."

"But—."

He pressed a silencing finger to her lips. "Don't argue," he ordered softly. "Just accept."

Her eyes drooped in resignation and a small smile curled his lips as he brushed at the quickly drying tendrils about her face. "Are you in any pain?" he asked.

"I ache a little," she admitted.

His hand trailed down her neck and she flinched when he brushed against the bite mark. Sakura had done a marvelous healing job, but the memory of it made his blood boil.

"Sorano." He had to ask, needed to know. "Did he…"

"No," she said firmly and closed her eyes. "No."

Neji sighed with relief. It was impossible to tell just how far the enemy had gone with his Byakugan in the split moment he and Naruto had taken action. The image of that man pinning her down would forever be trapped in his mind. He never would have forgiven himself if they had arrived too late.

His fingers idly stroked the scar as he considered another unsettling thought.

"You never forget," he murmured. _With her perfect memory, her nightmares must be vivid and intense._ "It must never fade."

Sorano twirled a long strand of brown hair around her finger. "I try to think of pleasant things," she hesitated. "There aren't many."

_There seldom is_, he thought but he suspected she had less than most. But perhaps, in this instance, he may be able to ease the memory she would be stuck with.

Brushing her hair aside, he leaned down and tenderly kissed the mark. She stilled instantly and almost as quickly melted under his lingering touch. When he pulled back, he brushed his lips softly across her cheek and then her forehead before pulling her securely against him.

She snuggled into the crook of his neck and he felt rather than heard her sigh in contentment. Her arms were curled between them, one small hand loosely clutching a lock of his hair as a child would a security blanket.

He wrapped a leg around both of hers, completely swallowing her small body up in his embrace. If anyone wanted to get to her, they had to go through him, not that it was likely to be a problem now that he had Naruto had captured the traitor and his associates.

The Daimyo had begrudgingly accepted the men captured in the forest as compensation since the mole turned out to be a Leaf ninja. Despite his traitorous acts occurring beneath the Daimyo's nose, he would face shinobi justice for his crimes.

It would take them four days to return to Konoha and though he had plenty of experience with transporting prisoners, he still felt uneasy about the journey and if he wished, he could spend the entire night denying why.

Is this what it felt like to _**care**_ for someone? He had friends, comrades, family, but he had never felt this burning protective jealousy over any of them, not even Hinata. This was uncharted territory and it was unsettling.

Contrary to popular belief, he was not without emotion. It was the shinobi way to conceal one's emotions and his clan was exceptionally good at it. He felt pain, anger, amusement, hatred, and contentment just as much as the next man. But the more tender emotions were far more infrequent, generally in the form of fondness for his shy cousin and her gentle and kindly demeanor. This intense fire that had settled into his blood was beyond his experience, but he knew it started smoldering the day he first held this snowy-haired woman in his arms.

What was she doing to him?

With a weary sigh, Neji buried his face in her soft hair and listened to her even breaths as she slumbered peacefully in the safety of his arms.

He could definitely get used to this.

* * *

To my delightful readers:

**NightNinja93**- I really appreciate that you asked me first about using "Konoha's Snowflake." Unfortunately, I'm going to have to say no to your request because the title is too specific to my character. Using it would also cause confusion among the readers because if they have read both stories, they will be inclined to think of the one they read first when seeing that title instead of the one they are currently reading. Going with something original is always the best bet. I'm sure you will come up with something even more perfect for your story. Thanks for reading!

**Savvy0X-** I think Sorano took this whole thing pretty well this time around, most likely because it didn't have something to do directly with her past. _Those_ incidences have a heavier impact on her. But, yeah, I gotta give Neji some room to work his mojo, so to speak.

**Thank you** all for your wonderful reviews. Also thanks to my chibi shy shadow readers who are loyally following this fic. Remember you can ask me anything (I don't bite, but my cat does), but it's okay if you don't so long as you are enjoying the story. Watch out for icy patches.


	18. The Feeling of Home

A/N- Crummy, crummy, crummy day, week, month, year, decade…you pick. On the upside, here are twelve pages. Enjoy.

Standard Disclaimer Applies.

**The Feeling of Home**

**Chapter 18**

She woke up reaching for a source of warmth and strength that wasn't there. Blinking her eyes open in the morning light, Sorano found herself alone in the plush bed, a rumpled pillow and the lingering scent of earth and rain the only evidence that she did not spend the night alone.

Stretching her limbs like a contented cat, she could not help feel relaxed and well rested. That was a rarity, but she knew it had everything to do with her human pillow. Her hand curved around her neck, a serene smile on her face. She had come to Neji's room seeking only reassurance in his presence and found a good deal more, and she knew when morning came, he would not treat her any differently.

His solid embrace made her feel safe again and he cleverly replaced a fresh, disturbing memory with a sweet one. She would never be able to look back on this experience without remembering the soft brush of his lips, the warmth of his skin, and the soothing, steady beat of his heart singing her to rest.

Sitting up, Sorano confirmed that she was quite alone and feeling considerably stronger than the pervious night. She immediately gravitated to the covered tray on the breakfast table to find muffins and jam with tea that was still hot. She took a moment to satiate her ravenous appetite before noticing her pack was sitting on the bench at the foot of the bed.

_The man thinks of everything._ She almost felt pampered.

It was comforting to wear her simple, non-descript clothes again. She avoided things that drew attention for a reason and her black pants and long sleeve button down (blue this time) felt more like protective armor than all the layers of a kimono ever could.

A knock on the door sounded as she twisted her hair up into its usual sloppy bun.

"Come in," she said. A pink head popped in, grinning.

"Sleep well?" Sakura said with obvious mischief in her sparkling eyes.

Sorano smiled serenely. "Yes. Where are the guys?"

"Waiting outside. I came to wake you but I can see you are managing just fine."

"Did everything work out?" Sorano asked as she checked her supplies before closing up her pack.

"Neji and Naruto captured the chunin traitor, Jiro." Sakura eyed her warily for a reaction. "We will be escorting him back to Konoha for interrogation and trial."

"Okay," Sorano said and slung her pack onto her shoulder. She stopped short when she saw Sakura's wary expression. "What?"

"This is the guy that got the drop on you, left you with those men…that doesn't bother you?"

Sorano glanced back at the unmade bed. Smiling softly, she met Sakura's curious stare. "Not at all."

Green eyes blinked, then softened. "We should go."

"I suppose Isamu-sama will see us off," Sorano mused as she followed the kunoichi into the hall.

Sakura grinned wickedly. "Are you going to miss him?"

Sorano threw her head back and groaned. "Don't start!"

Sakura laughed. "And poor Naruto was worried to death you would run off to rule the Fire Country by the Daimyo's side!"

"Really?"

Pink hair bobbed as she nodded vigorously. "He would miss you." Smiling eyes turned on Sorano. "We all would."

Sorano felt her heart warm. "Thank you."

Sakura winked. "No problem. Man I can't wait to get home and see Sasuke-kun."

Sorano smiled as she listened to Sakura ramble on about her Sasuke-kun, eyes vibrant and alive. She wondered if her eyes would ever shine like that, if she would ever **feel** so intensely again. If there was a chance for it, it would be among these people. Her heart was already stirring with an unused to but welcomed sense of familiarity.

"Sakura," she interrupted when they walked into the bright sunlight. "How long was I asleep?"

"Huh? Oh, about a day and a night."

Sorano winced. "Chakra exhaustion?" she asked.

"And poison. It was a mild neurotoxin and easy to remove, but it took its toll," she said when Sorano looked at her. "I'm curious how you depleted so much of your chakra with a simple Substitution jutsu."

"It wasn't the jutsu," she admitted. "I can expel toxins and drugs from my body with my chakra. Poisons are a great deal more resistant and it took more out of me than I expected."

"Really?" Sakura was intrigued. "How? Can you teach me?"

Sorano smiled apologetically. "It's part of my family's technique."

"Oh, I understand, secrecy and all that. It would be a handy technique to know though."

"It's not that," Sorano said and Sakura stopped to stare at her in surprise.

"But I thought…"

Sorano tilted her head as she bit her lip thoughtfully. "Even if it were something that _could_ be learned, it's unlikely you would be able to use it properly. You have perfect chakra control, but it is impossible for you to be aware of all points of release."

"Oh," Sakura said. "You mean a person would have to be able to expel their chakra through every pour in their body at the same time and at a very slow and moderate rate. That makes sense, since the drugs or toxins would be diluted throughout the whole body."

"I'm sorry," Sorano said softly. "If it was not an instinctive technique, I would teach you."

"It's all right," Sakura smiled sweetly. "I'm honored you would be willing to share a part of your family's technique with me. Most people want to keep such things a secret."

Sorano shrugged. "I consider your safety more important than complete secrecy."

Sakura warmed at Sorano's admission and smiled brilliantly as another thought occurred to her. "Neji could probably do it," she said.

Sorano just looked at her blankly.

"Neji has perfected his clan's technique and can expel his chakra through every point in his body at the same time in a defensive jutsu only the head of the Hyuuga clan knows. Neji figured it out on his own, being a genius and all. It's pretty impressive."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Sorano smiled.

"You learn fast," Sakura winked. "Oh, there they are!" She pointed towards the base of the steps and fairly skipped down to meet the rest of their team. Sorano followed at a more sedate pace.

A man was kneeling on the ground, arms bound tightly behind him with chakra infused ropes. Naruto was standing over him with his arms crossed, his usually bright eyes set in a chilling glare. When she neared them, his gaze flickered up to her and softened.

Looking down at the prisoner who was now glowering accusingly at her, she merely raised a brow at the motley colored bruises on his face, knowing the rest of him probably wasn't faring much better. At a glance she had to guess he sustained at least three broken bones aside from one black eye nearly swollen shut, a bruised jawbone and a busted lip. Dismissing the oncoming train of thought of just how he sustained those injuries, she turned to the Daimyo.

"I am relieved to see you well, Sorano-san," Isamu-sama smiled down at her, his eyes exceptionally bright in the morning light.

"Thank you, Isamu-sama, and thank you for your hospitality."

"It was my honor and privilege. Are you certain it is not wise that you remain a bit longer to recover fully from your ordeal?" There was obvious concern in his voice, but she didn't miss the glint of calculation in his eyes.

"Oi, we aren't going anywhere without Sorano-chan," Naruto piped up, his voice husky with irritation.

"Don't be disrespectful, Naruto," Sakura hissed before flashing an apologetic smile at the Daimyo. Naruto merely grunted and looked away.

Neji remained silent, watching Sorano with his usual blank expression. Obviously he had no intention of getting involved and for some reason that pleased her. The previous events had not changed a thing between them, at least not in a bad way. He still trusted her to make her own decisions.

"I appreciate your concern, Isamu-sama, but I am quite well," she said with a smile that was hardly forced. "And it would be poor form not to return the prisoner to Konoha immediately."

"If you are concerned about delaying your friends, I will happily provide an escort for your return at a later time. Your safety and well-being is my utmost concern."

The man was being stubborn, shamelessly manipulative, and surprisingly immune to the glares he was receiving from her comrades. Naruto's alone was heated enough to incinerate half of Fire Country.

Her smile thinned slightly. "And the continued success of this _**mission**_ is mine," she said then bowed gracefully. "I will be sure to relate your regards to Tsunade-sama. Again thank you, Isamu-sama."

The Daimyo sighed, reluctant to lose such an intriguing woman but knowing nothing short of force would keep her in his company and she definitely, and knowingly, had the upper hand in that respect. "I look forward to our paths crossing again, Sorano-san," he said. "Be safe."

She valiantly refrained from rolling her eyes at his patronizing manner and smiled once more before turning back to the others.

Naruto jerked the prisoner to his feet and shoved him forward. "Shouldn't keep Ibiki waiting," he said cheerfully and though Sorano never really had a sadistic side, she rather agreed with him.

They didn't stop for the night until it was nearly dark and they were well past the hot springs. While the girls silently mourned the loss of luxury, they were both in agreement that they wanted to get back to Konoha as quickly as possible.

Naruto bound the prisoner securely to a tree while Sakura and Sorano gathered wood for the fire. It would be a simple meal then they would turn in early, intending to be on the move by dawn.

The prisoner wisely kept his mouth shut. No one offered him a thing to eat and Sorano hardly felt sympathetic considering his heated glare followed her every move, but she wasn't altogether inconsiderate. He could go days without eating, but water was another matter entirely and she doubted Neji or Naruto would enjoy carrying his useless carcass for three straight days if he passed out from dehydration.

Everyone tensed when she crossed over and kneeled in front of him, a cup of water in her hand. His glare intensified but he still accepted the offered drink, swallowing thirstily while she held his gaze over the cup.

"You're a fool," he said when she pulled the cup back. "When I get free I'm going to gut you," he snarled.

Sorano leaned back and held his heated gaze without comment, without flinching. The tension of her comrades was easily ignored as her vision tunneled down to the venomous eyes before her. Though she knew this man wanted her dead for ruining his plans, she felt no fear, no animosity, not even irritation towards him.

She felt nothing, **he** was nothing and it shined through her fixed stare. He blinked once, twice…his eyes shifted hesitantly, not knowing which of her bottomless blue eyes to focus on, the emptiness vivid in both. Finally he looked away and shifted uneasily against his binds.

She stared at him a moment longer before returning to the fire. Jiro pointedly ignored her from then on, much to the bemusement of her companions.

"And I thought Sakura-chan was scary," Naruto muttered under his breath to the Hyuuga who nodded in perplexed agreement.

The fire was doused and three bodies laid out in slumber. Neji took first watch as usual and stationed himself in a tree above the camp, but his mind was far from watch duty.

He was not sure what he had been expecting from Sorano that morning, having learned to throw out all expectations where the snowy-haired woman was concerned not long after he met her.

Waking with her in his arms was a novel experience and he had trouble willing himself to get up. Her sleep had remained peaceful throughout the night and in his waking confusion when he tightened his hold on her, she snuggled closer and sighed softly. Despite his desire to linger, instinctively he knew she was not ready to find herself comfortably curled up against a half-naked man in the full light of day, regardless of the reasons that lead her there. Sorano needed comfort, reassurance, nothing more and he wasn't about to betray her rarely offered trust. Intimacy in any form frightened her, though he had yet to find out why, and she was only just beginning to open herself up to the bonds of friendship.

But once he managed to untangle himself, he was forced to admit that he was already missing her warmth. Still, the peaceful expression in her eyes, the restored confidence, was entirely worth it. She was herself again.

No, that wasn't entirely true. She was more than her usual self. Her silence throughout the day was somber, thoughtful. There was a disturbing calculation in her ocean blue eyes and her chakra flow was drawn tighter as if in anticipation though she displayed absolute calm. Neji sensed a change in her and the results were promising to be nothing short of remarkable. That's just the kind of woman she was proving to be.

He spent the rest of the night pondering this change and what it might mean for Sorano, for Konoha…for him. By the time Naruto hopped up into the tree to take the next shift, Neji had pondered himself into exhaustion.

"Jiro won't be going anywhere," Naruto said as he crouched on the branch beside him. "The chakra binds are holding."

Neji nodded. "Some of his tenketsu points might reopen by morning. I'll check them before we head out."

"Sounds good to me," Naruto stretched with a wide yawn. "You look beat, Neji."

The Hyuuga grunted and dropped soundlessly from the tree. His bedroll was laid out within arms reach of Sorano, something he had done without thinking earlier in the evening. Already his subconscious was clinging to her.

As he settled himself down, he glanced towards her to find her awake and staring right back. Not more than a few necessary words had passed between them throughout the day as if both were adamantly avoiding the memory of the night before. But something _had_ changed between them and he wondered if she was welcoming it or fearing it.

He knew he was a difficult read even for those who shared his blood-limit, but Sorano must have read some of the wary uncertainty in his eyes because she smiled shyly. It did something funny to his insides and he couldn't help returning it with a half smile of his own.

Oblivious to the internal fluttering the Hyuuga prodigy suffered, Sorano looked up at the shadow in the tree and her smile slipped. She pushed her blanket off and sat up, biting her lip in thought. Glancing absently at Neji who was watching her with a raised brow, she tiredly climbed to her feet.

Naruto was idly swinging a leg back and forth as he leaned back against the tree trunk. He was trying to decide which of the many delicious flavors of ramen he should order first when they returned to Konoha when he heard a faint rustling of leaves. Looking up, he blinked in surprise at the woman staring down at him.

"Sorano-chan?"

She dropped down into a crouch onto his branch and continued to stare at him silently. Naruto shifted uneasily under her intense gaze and was about ready to demand if she really **was** Sorano when she spoke.

"What's wrong, Naruto," she asked softly.

"Huh?" He blinked owlishly at her.

Sighing quietly, she shifted herself to sit on the branch, her legs dangling over the wide limb. She kicked her feet back and forth for a moment before looking up at him.

"When Tsunade offered me this mission, do you remember what you promised me?"

His eyes widened, then he quickly glanced away. "I," he swallowed harshly. "I said we would protect you."

Sorano smiled at his dejected slump. Gently, she reached out and touched his knee. He stared startled at her hand and then met her gaze, blinking at her soft expression.

"No one…has ever come for me before," she said.

Understanding sunk in slowly to settle warmly in his stomach. He covered her hand with his own and squeezed gently. "Sorano…"

"So stop blaming yourself," she told him.

Blue eyes softened. Had he been that obvious? "Yosh, Sorano-chan."

* * *

"It's about time," Sakura grumbled as the gates of Konoha came in sight. It had been raining all day and she wanted nothing more than a hot bath and dry clothes.

The prisoner had passed out from food deprivation, pain and fatigue early in the morning and was currently slung over Naruto's shoulder. The extra weight didn't slow him down in the least.

Sorano felt oddly content despite having her clothes plastered to her body and cold drops trickling down her face and neck from her soaked white tresses. It was hardly the first time she had been drenched through by a rainstorm, but it was one of the few times she knew what waited after and she could not contain the wide smile.

"What is it?"

"Hm?" She looked up at the man beside her and for a moment was lost in the picture he presented. His wet clothes hung limply on his well-defined muscles and she remembered the close up view she had of them several nights before. The feel of his strong body wrapped around her was not something she ever wanted to forget.

"You're smiling," Neji said as if it were the strangest thing in the world. Considering the inclement weather, he probably thought she had lost her mind. "Why?"

Sakura and Naruto heard him and paused to look back at the woman smiling serenely in the downpour.

Sorano looked past them at the looming gates. "I forgot what it feels like, coming home."

The others blinked at her and Naruto laughed. "Yosh, Sorano-chan! Ichiraku on me!" He pumped a fist into the air before sprinting off towards the gate.

"Um, did he forget…" Sorano pointed after the quickly disappearing ninja.

"He'll drop him off at Anbu headquarters," Neji said with amusement. "I'll report to the Hokage."

"And we will get warm and dry," Sakura said as she grabbed Sorano's hand. "See you in an hour, Neji!" she yelled as she dragged the laughing woman after her.

Neji shook his head and smirked. It **was** good to be home, for all the oddities it included or because of them. With a lighter step, he sprinted towards the Hokage's mansion. The sooner he relayed his report, the sooner he could get clean and dry, not to mention a hot bowl of ramen was calling his name. Sweet Hokage, he was turning into Naruto!

* * *

**ElfPrincessKitty- **I don't understand why people write Sakura in such a mean light. I admit her girly obsessive-ness annoyed me at times early on in the anime, but obsessive girly girls annoy me anyway (they hurt my ears). Give the woman some credit really, teamed with gorgeous, cool, and broody Sasuke as well as loud, obnoxious, clingy Naruto. That would drive any woman out of her mind. But then again, they were only 12 at the time. Anyone who can't see Sakura's determination and unshakable loyalty is an idiot and I really like the kind of person she is growing into. I wish **I **could shatter a tree with my fist.

**Thank you** for all your wonderful reviews and to all my chibi shy shadow readers hiding out there for reading. (waves) I see you…wait! Hey! Come back! Aw, shoot.


	19. To Be Strong Enough

A/N- I apologize if my sentence structure and grammar is a bit off kilter in this chapter since my inner-editor seems to have taken an impromptu vacation. If you're not a grammar freak you probably might not even notice it, so no worries I guess.

A lot of people have been asking me about Sorano's past. Well from here on, Sorano's secrets are going to start coming out little by little. Keep your eyes open and pay attention cause things are **really** going to get interesting now. More battles, more secrets, more drama, more romance, more…ramen?

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Enjoy!

**To Be Strong Enough**

**Chapter 19**

Sorano lingered in bed for once feeling entirely confident in her security. Might as well enjoy it while it lasted. By now, the Land of Earth knew she was alive and residing in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Despite her very real threats to Hitoshi, the Daimyo would soon send spies to ascertain her strengths, weaknesses, and loyalties. Anyone remotely associated with her would be in danger.

She had thought the nightmare would end four years ago when her path of single-minded training and strategic planning came to its destined completion. With swift and brutal ease, she laid the past to rest and buried all hopes for a future, though to be fair she never really had one to start with. In the soundless aftermath, she sought only to attain some form of peace of mind and salvage what little was left of her soul even if it be in death, but her enemies would not permit that luxury, not after what she had become. If anything, they desired her even more.

The Daimyo would draw on all his resources to get to her and kill anyone that got in his way. Sakura, Hinata, Naruto, Lee…Neji. Her options were simple really. Leave or stay. If she left she would continue to run, hide, never getting close to another again. For her protection and theirs, she could easily survive as the vagabond she had always been, but…

Konoha had become home in such a short time. There were faces she would miss, places, the familiarity of walking down the same streets every day without looking over her shoulder, Ichiraku ramen…

Only once before did she have a place and people to call home and it had been violently torn away from her. She wasn't strong enough to protect it then, but now, she could be. She would be.

Throwing off her blankets, Sorano scooped up her training clothes and practice weights. If she was quick she could finish her warm-ups by midmorning. The time to linger and rest was over.

* * *

The straw dummy exploded under impact, bits of hay showering around Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast. He regarded the demolished practice dummy with mixed satisfaction and frustration. Practice was far more rewarding when he had a partner that could actually fight back.

It had been more than a week since he had last seen Sorano, ten days to be precise. He worried about the wild fear he had seen in her eyes, so deep and abiding it could only stem from serious emotional trauma. It was his sincerest hope that Naruto's scheme proved successful. There had been no word about the mission and he was feeling supremely anxious.

Would Sorano find the confidence to accept all of her talents? Would she find purpose once more? Would she tie herself to Konoha or in the end return to the familiar comfort of solitude? He felt so helpless and no amount of missions or training could serve to distract him. Had he failed her in some way, pushed her too hard, too quickly?

Lee dusted straw off his shoulders and contemplated the useless dummy forlornly. Perhaps he could tempt Gai-sensei into a vigorous spar. Kicking at the piles of straw absently, he considered where he might find his sensei when he felt a faint presence, one he had come to know well.

He did not try to veil his surprise when he saw her crossing the field towards him. She was wearing her practice weights and judging from her slightly mussed hair and rosy cheeks, she had already warmed up. The serene expression he had hoped to find in her eyes upon her return was not present. There was only cold determination that he found as chilling as it was heartening.

"Sorano-san," he greeted with wary cheer. She had come to him for training but he was uncertain of her intent. He never asked her the first time she approached him, he would not do so now.

When she reached him, she bowed respectfully. "Lee-san, I apologize for missing my previous lessons."

Lee waved away her apology. "The fault was mine, Sorano-san. I was overeager to set your skills against another before you were prepared."

"You could not have known," she told him but he shook his bowl-shaped head.

"That is a poor excuse. As your instructor, I should have perceived all aspects of your youthful abilities."

"Perhaps if you were better informed, you could have," she conceded.

"Ah," he blinked at her. "Was the mission a success?"

She stared at him for a moment. "Yes."

"But?" he encouraged.

"But it has served to complicate things." She glanced around the open training grounds. "Is there some place more private we could continue this?"

A bushy brow shot up in surprise. "Of course! Follow me."

He leaped off into the trees and only glanced back once to confirm she was following closely. After some distance he dropped into an enclosed clearing he had become familiar with over the years when developing some of his techniques.

Sorano dropped softly to the ground and looked around approvingly. They were most assuredly alone and she allowed herself to relax. She had sought out the Taijutsu Specialist for a reason and she had no intention of turning back.

Rock Lee was watching her patiently and silently, knowing she would speak when ready. She admired him for his hidden insight for she had quickly learned the green clad man was far more intelligent than he let on, and he was trustworthy. All such things made this easier for her.

"I want to show you my technique," she said.

Black eyes widened in shock and for a time he could not speak. _This is her closely guarded secret. Why does she suddenly wish to reveal it?_

Reading the questions in his wide eyes, Sorano smiled. "My chakra control is still lacking so I cannot make effective use of it yet, but I believe if you see my true nature, you will know how best to continue my training."

The determination in her eyes made sense now. He would have to ask Neji and Naruto what happened on the mission to inspire this startling change.

"Once you start on this path, you cannot turn back," he warned her. If she retained doubts, she would only continue to sabotage herself and all effort would be in vain.

"I know," she said softly and he could see in her eyes, she did.

Lee nodded sharply and shifted into a defensive stance. "I am ready."

Sorano smiled but remained standing at leisure. It had been a long time since she had done this. Would it still feel as exhilarating?

"Don't blink," she warned him, then vanished.

* * *

Sasuke listened with half an ear as Naruto related pieces of their mission between slurps. Neji seemed to be ignoring them both, lost in his private musings while poking at his ramen. Much of Naruto's rapid dialogue was about the formal dinner he was forced to endure at the Daimyo's palace, since mission details were strictly confidential, and Sasuke was seriously considering congratulating Sakura for preventing the blonde idiot from making a complete fool of himself.

Naruto's anecdote was suddenly cut short when Rock Lee slumped onto a stool and stared blankly at the counter.

"Oi, bushy brows, what's wrong?" Naruto asked and when Lee didn't even blinked, Naruto reached across Neji and poked him with his chopsticks. "Yo, bushy brows!"

As if pulling out of a stupor, Rock Lee looked up at them and all three blinked in shock.

"Lee," Neji found his voice first. "What happened to your eye?"

Lee blinked owlishly before tentatively touching the bruised skin with a wince. "Sorano-san," he said as if barely believing it himself.

"She got a hit on you?" the three asked at once.

Lee blinked again then grinned. "Konoha's Snowflake is **fast**! I never would have believed she had such passionate potential if I had not seen it with my own eyes!" He touched the bruise again thoughtfully.

"She got a hit on you?" the three echoed again.

Naruto shook his head. "Why didn't she heal you? She can handle a bruise easily enough."

"She was most kind to offer," Lee pointed out with a beaming smile. "But I was concerned that she may have already used too much chakra and I did not want to overtax her system. I will ask Sakura-san to heal me later."

"Why was she using chakra for taijutsu training," Sasuke asked with rarely displayed curiosity.

Lee accepted the bowl of ramen Ayame handed him and inhaled appreciatively. "She was showing me her technique."

Dead silence fell around them as Lee dug into his meal. After two bites he felt the weight of three pairs of eyes and glanced curiously towards his companions.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"She showed you her technique?" Neji said with equal surprise and trepidation.

Lee stared down into his bowl for a moment before meeting their inquisitive gazes again. "Only with the chakra gates could I even hope to match her in speed."

"That fast?" Naruto murmured, eyes wide.

"I can only wonder what she has done with her abilities, half-trained as she was," Lee mused. "She is like the wind."

Neji stiffened. "Ryukaze," he whispered.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

"The ambassador from the Earth Country called her Ryukaze."

"Someone recognized her?" Sasuke asked.

Neji scowled at his ramen. "Hitoshi, an advisor to the Earth Country's Daimyo."

"I take it things didn't go well," Sasuke eyed the other prodigy.

"He called her a traitor," Neji murmured absently as he remembered the incident. He had mentioned it in his report to Tsunade, knowing she needed to be aware of the possible problems that might stem from it. Sorano saw fit to threaten the man and she would not have done so if she didn't feel threatened herself.

Sasuke stilled. "Traitor," he echoed softly.

"Is this man a threat?" Lee asked.

Neji pushed his bowl away and folded his hands under his chin. "By now the Earth Country's Daimyo knows where Sorano is. I got the impression he wants her in his service and it is unlikely he will abandon this opportunity to retrieve her."

Lee nodded. "I believe Sorano-san is aware of this danger. She is fully determined to recover her skills."

"This can only mean she has decided to stay," Naruto said. "She wants to fight."

"That name sounds like something you would see in the Bingo book," Sasuke murmured. He met Neji's silver gaze. "Ryukaze."

"I feel the same, but I can't match it to anyone," Neji said.

"Why didn't you just ask her about it?" the dark eyed Uchiha challenged.

"Be my guest," Neji invited.

Sasuke scowled. "Fine." He slapped the money for his meal down and ducked out of the ramen stand.

"This can't be good," Naruto muttered.

"I must agree with Naruto-kun," Lee said. "Sorano-san guards her privacy closely."

Neji smirked. The arrogant Uchiha was bound to be taken down a notch…or two.

* * *

Sorano stretched her weary legs out before her while she slouched on the bench. Lee had worked her over vigorously and couple that with the unaccustomed use of her chakra…she was surprised she made it this far. A few more minutes of rest and then she would try to shuffle a little further.

Lee's shocked expression had been priceless, but she felt bad when she hit him. So caught by surprise was he that he had lain flat on his back for a full five minutes. When reality came back to him, he had jumped up with flames of excitement in his eyes. His eagerness was contagious and she soon forgot her fear in the face of his enthusiasm. It was refreshing…and exhausting.

Leaning her head back against the bench, she rested her eyes for a moment, soothed by the gentle breeze that tugged at her mussed hair.

"Do you always leave yourself vulnerable?"

"Do you intend to attack me?" she murmured without opening her eyes.

"It's tempting," Sasuke said as he studied her upturned face. She was dusty and sweaty from training and he doubted she could move if she wanted to. There weren't many women who would willingly put themselves through such rigorous training, especially with Rock Lee.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" he asked.

She frowned slightly. A few weeks ago, Neji had asked her the same thing. Her answer then was that she didn't want to be afraid of herself anymore. She was still afraid, but now…

Sorano cracked one eye open and peered up at the handsome ninja. "I suppose I'm done being pathetic," she said.

His lips twitched with amusement "That's your reason?" he asked skeptically.

"It's the only one I'm giving you," she said. "Why so curious?"

Sasuke huffed and glanced away. She couldn't help smile at the childish indignation he displayed, hands shoved into his pockets and peeking at her from the corner of his eye. Finally he sighed and met her gaze evenly.

"Neji said you were recognized by an advisor to the Earth Country's Daimyo."

"Ah," she said, her expression carefully neutral.

Sasuke scowled darkly. "Are you going back?"

"There's nothing to go back to." She tilted her head to look up at the darkening sky.

"Would you, if there was?" he asked and nearly rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. This wasn't what he wanted to ask her.

"I'll never know," she murmured then looked back at him. "Give me your hand."

"Why?" he demanded suspiciously.

"Just help me up, idiot," she groused as she held her hand out to him. "And I won't tell anyone that you were worried about me."

"I'm not worried," he huffed but grabbed her wrist and jerked her to her feet. She stumbled into him and gave him a disgruntled glare when she righted herself. He merely smirked and shrugged.

"Not my fault you're a twig," he said.

"Charming," she muttered as she started limping away. He stared after her for a moment before following. She glanced up when he fell in step beside her.

Sighing softly, she looked ahead. "What's really bugging you, Sasuke?"

He could have asked her then, but intuitively knew it was an off-limit topic, just like his own past was. There was something in her eyes, a familiar pain, bone deep loss. That was why Neji didn't ask. It was why **he** couldn't.

"Train with me," he said.

Sorano nearly tripped over her own feet. "What?"

Sasuke reflexively grabbed her arm and steadied her. "Train with me."

Blue eyes blinked. "Why?"

He snorted and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Your chakra control is ridiculously pitiful. Lee can't help you with that. If you want to be strong you need to expand your control with ninjutsu training."

Sorano frowned. "Why you?"

He scowled. "Take it or leave it, woman," he snapped.

Her lips twitched in an effort not to smile. It was likely he only wanted to satisfy his curiosity, but an offer was an offer and the Uchiha **rarely** offered. He was right too. She needed to practice ninjutsu and Lee would not be an ideal opponent. Naruto would be too leery of hurting her and Neji, well, having her chakra system blocked or damaged was hardly conducive to improvement.

"All right," she said and he blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting her to accept.

"Huh?"

"I work tomorrow," she said as she started walking again with a shuffling limp. "I'm off at five."

He let her go, consciously measuring her up. She hardly looked capable of injuring anyone, let alone one of Konoha's elite. Apparently her taijutsu skills were noteworthy thanks to Lee's tutelage, but he would reserve his final judgment until he had seen for himself.

Sasuke had to admit he was actually looking forward to this. It would be the perfect opportunity to see her secret techniques up close and personal. Not even Naruto or Neji knew what she could do.

A confident smirk curved his lips as he turned towards his district. _This might even be fun._

* * *

**Thank you **for so many wonderful reviews and also to all my chibi shy shadow readers for reading. (pretends to not see them in the bushes) Oh where could they be hiding themselves? Hmm.


	20. The Nightmares We Share

A/N- Need-to-knows in this chapter…Body Replacement Technique and Substitution Jutsu are the same technique (Kawarimi no Jutsu). Essentially (for those who are unfamiliar with it) it's when a person replaces their body with another object like when Sorano exchanges herself with white feathers. I just wanted to mention it to avoid confusion because I do use both English terms, depending on which one sounds better, throughout the story.

_Secrets Alert! Secrets Alert!_

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

**The Nightmares We Share**

**Chapter 20**

"Edible Vegetation of the Land of Bears by Tsuki Shin," Sorano read off the title of the thin hardback in her hand as Hinata copied it down onto an index card with swift, graceful strokes.

"Is there a number on it?" Hinata asked from her little makeshift desk of books on the floor.

Sorano turned the book over. "It's smudged out. Maybe we should ditch the number system and file by author names for now," she said. "Most of the numbers have been lost."

Hinata bit her lip thoughtfully. "It would be easier I suppose, but what if someone only knows the subject and not the author?"

"Well," Sorano leaned back against the shelf and stretched one leg out to ease the cramping. "What if we file them on the shelves by author and file the catalogue by subject, at least until we get the number system back up?"

The lavender-eyed girl blinked for a moment, then smiled. "I like it. It will be much easier to keep it organized."

"Okay, so lets put this under Land of Bears for now," Sorano suggested.

"Okay," Hinata chirped.

Sorano reached for the next book on the stack beside her and turned it idly in her hands as she admired Hinata's elegant penmanship. She had grown quite fond of the quiet heiress. Hinata was such a sweet woman, too kind and gentle for the world she was born too. They were alike in that respect and she felt a kinship with the heiress she did not feel with any other woman she had met. But they had done little outside of work together. In fact, she hadn't done much of anything with anyone outside of work or training in an effort to maintain emotional distance. It was time for some things to change.

"Hinata."

"Hm?"

"I'm having Naruto over for dinner on Friday." At the mention of the handsome blonde, her pen froze.

"Why don't you come," Sorano suggested.

Hinata's head snapped up, eyes wide. "Oh! I-I-I couldn't I m-mean you and N-Naruto-kun…" she flushed bright red and struggled for words. Sorano thought it was adorable.

"Hinata," she gently touched her hand. "Take a deep breath."

The heiress paused her stumbling words long enough to do so and felt slightly calmer.

"It's just dinner with some friends. You can bring Neji if it will make you feel more comfortable."

Her shoulders relaxed more. "Well…"

"Don't think about it so much, Hinata," Sorano smiled. "Just come."

The lavender-eyed girl smiled softly. "O-okay," she said.

"Good," Sorano said as she turned back to the book in her hand.

"Should I bring anything?" Hinata asked.

Sorano considered telling her not to worry about it, but changed her mind when she met her shy gaze. Wasn't the quickest way to a man's heart supposed to be through his stomach anyway? "How about a dessert?"

"Sure," Hinata said brightly. "I like to bake."

"I'm sure anything you make will taste great," Sorano smiled warmly. "Next up, Ninja Art: Genjutsu by Souta Lorne."

The two girls managed to work through the rest of the row before calling it a day. Hinata hurried home for dinner and Sorano snagged a quick bite on her way to the training grounds. She was a bit leery of Sasuke so she decided to forgo the training weights. Likely she would be in a world of hurt tonight regardless. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't the kind of man to go easy on anyone.

He was peppering a target with kunai when she arrived, looking the picture of boredom. With one dark glance towards her, he gathered up his weapons and tucked them back into the pouch strapped to his leg.

"You're late," he growled.

Sorano looked up at the sky. "If you say so."

Sasuke grunted. "Let's go," he said and leaped into the trees. Sorano allowed herself a small smile before following. He led her to a relatively secluded clearing beside the river, well enough away from others to contain their ninjutsu.

"I only have one request," she said when he turned to face her.

"You want me to pull my punches?" he asked with mocking amusement.

"Hardly," she said with a faint smile that was there and gone in half a breath. "No weapons, actually."

Sasuke's brows furrowed with suspicious curiosity. It was already well known throughout the ranks that Sorano refused to use weapons, but he was surprised she would restrict her opponent from them as well. "Why?" he demanded.

Her expression went disturbingly blank. "I'm not ready to get my hands on anything sharp yet," she said quietly. "Nor is anyone else for that matter."

Sasuke mulled the sinister hint over in his mind. There were only two reasons why someone as confident as Sorano would suppress her skills: fear and guilt. Whichever one Sorano suffered was anyone's guess, but he had no doubt she was attempting to face it with wary caution.

This was supposed to be his opportunity to learn some of her secrets, but Sasuke was beginning to realize that he would have to keep his eyes open for more than just foreign jutsu. Sorano just might not be as self-composed as she appeared.

"Everything else is fair game," he said as he took up his stance.

"Agreed," she said and then disappeared.

_Flicker technique_. Even without his Sharingan activated he could follow her rapid speed and spun in time to block her kick. Was this what Lee meant? It was a common enough technique and she was hardly any faster than the average genin.

Her taijutsu was flawless he had to admit as he blocked a rapid succession of kicks and hits. There wasn't enough strength behind her punches to do notable damage but she could kick like a mule. It was a fine enough defense considering her swift flexibility, but unless she learned to channel chakra like Sakura, her attack power would remain limited.

Ducking beneath a right hook, he delivered a swift kick to her stomach and she rolled on impact, pulling up in a crouch and gasping for breath.

_At least she can take a hit,_ he thought as he watched her. "You're too slow," he said as he started forming signs.

She blinked in surprise then started making her own signs.

"Fire style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" Flames shot from his mouth and she leaped away.

"Water style: Water Dragon Missile!"

The opposing elemental jutsus collided with a crashing hiss, blanketing the clearing in a thick mist. Sorano took swift advantage of the poor visibility and was on him with a flurry of attacks. He grunted when she connected twice before he used body replacement to get distance between them.

Sorano hissed when her fist collided with wood. Shaking out her hand, she took a moment to reach out her senses and smiled when she felt him to her right. The fog was beginning to fade and so was her advantage.

_Water Clone Jutsu_. She formed two clones and sent them towards him.

"Try again," she heard him say as both her clones were destroyed with ease, but he didn't expect her to tackle him through the explosion of water. The two tumbled until he pinned her. She grunted softly from the force when he slammed her into the ground.

"Common clones don't work on me," he said as he kneeled comfortably over her and smirked. "Surely you can do better than that."

Sorano looked up at him with a sharp retort on her lips and froze when she met his blood-red stare. Blue eyes widened in an expression he had never thought he would ever see on her. Her hands slapped together and she vanished in a puff of white feathers.

Sasuke blinked in surprise, absently thinking the feathers suited her just as cherry blossoms suited Sakura. When he looked up, she was leaning against a nearby tree, her hand over her heart as if it were going to leap out of her chest. The stark terror in her eyes was fading into comprehension, but it didn't ease the sickening feeling in his gut.

He wasn't unused to seeing fear in his opponents' eyes. His hands were coated in innocent blood due to his years of training beneath Orochimaru and it would take him lifetimes to redeem himself. But even then in the darkness he thrived in, he loathed what he had become, one death away from being his brother. Never again did he want to see that absolute terror in eyes that should trust him: not in Sakura's verdant greens and not in Sorano's ocean blues.

"What's wrong," he demanded quietly as he remained kneeling in place. She was too edgy to approach, watching him warily with wide fawn eyes.

"Your eyes…is that Sharingan?" she asked in a strangled voice.

Sasuke frowned. "Yes."

Sorano slid down the length of the tree and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said after a moment. "I didn't expect…I'm sorry."

Sasuke's frown deepened as he considered her reaction. People who knew him were surprised when they saw his Sharingan for the first time, even unnerved, but never scared unless…

"You've seen it before," he said, eyes narrowed sharply, daring her to deny.

Sorano ran a shaky hand through her white hair, absently patting her bun to check if it was still in place. "Seven years ago." She hazard a glance at him and was relieved to see his eyes were coal black again. "He didn't think I was worth killing at the time. You would suppose that makes me the lucky one," she snorted softly and clenched her fist in her hair. It was among the most disturbing of her memories.

Sasuke watched mixed emotions flit across her features in rapid succession. Photographic memory, Naruto had told him. Whatever she had seen, whatever _**he**_ had done…she was reliving it in that moment. Her eyes were focused sharply on the ground before her as she struggled to push the memories back.

Was she comparing them in her mind? When she looked at him, would she only see Itachi and the nightmare he left her? He clenched his fists tightly in anger. His brother continued to poison his life even when he tried to do things right.

She was too distracted to notice his cautious approach, seeing only images of the past fighting against the lush green reality of the grass beneath her feet. A strong hand gripped her shoulder and her head jerked up, wide blue clashing with cold obsidian. Slowly the images began to recede and though Sorano respected the power harbored in Sharingan red, she distantly thought obsidian black was far more beautiful, far more human.

Finally she blinked and reached up to gently grasp his wrist. "It just caught me off guard," she said quietly.

Sasuke studied her eyes and was relieved to see the shadows fading. Would they return the next time she looked into his Sharingan?

"That's enough for today," he said and gently squeezed her shoulder before pulling back.

Sorano lifted her chin and stared hard at him. "You're not going to back out on me, are you?"

Sasuke scowled and glanced away. "You can't even look me in the eye without freaking out."

Sorano grabbed his collar and jerked him toward her. Obsidian eyes widened as she glowered at him. "_Don't_ play the wounded soul with me because I've _been_ there," she hissed. "We have an agreement and you are going to keep it if I have to hunt you down every night. I **will** set Naruto on you, don't think I won't!"

He stared at her in shock before he blinked and smirked. "You may regret this later."

She rolled her eyes and shoved him away. "I already do."

"Thanks," he said dryly and stood.

"There's still plenty of daylight left," she said as she pushed herself up.

"Masochistic, aren't you."

"Aren't we all," she muttered as she put a fair starting distance between them. "Besides, if memory serves you've only landed one hit to my two."

Sasuke snorted. "Don't get cocky."

* * *

Sorano made it as far as her bed and fell flat on her face with a groan. _Sadistic son of a…_ This was far, far worse than training with Lee. She ached, yes, but it was far more intense as if every cell in her body had been bent and twisted and sucked dry of every last shred of energy. That was chakra exhaustion at its finest. But just like Lee, Sasuke knew when she was at her limit, probably because of his Sharingan.

The unexpected sight of those familiar crimson eyes boring into her had seriously rattled her nerves. She had known about the Uchiha's past but never connected the true form of the Sharingan with the nightmarish encounter with a missing-nin when she was thirteen. She had seen plenty of death by then and was sufficiently hardened by the cold reality of the merciless world, but that instance, that wasn't death. It was slaughter, effortless, without emotion.

Sorano had always known there were monsters within men. That day she saw a monster wearing the face of a man in defiance of the difference.

He was Sasuke's purpose and it was unlikely Sasuke would turn away from that path. Would he leave Konoha again to pursue him? That was Sakura's greatest fear. He had left once before, trained beneath the evil San-nin and gained strength by dishonorable means. Naruto brought him back, but why did he stay?

She knew why. Because when the sun hit the monument just right, the legendary faces came alive. Because Ichiraku Ramen made the worst missions better. Because green eyes grew bright whenever he walked into a room and blue eyes laughed and challenged, heedless of threats and insults. Because they forgave him, needed him, and wanted him.

Because Itachi could not take that away.

She could never fear Sasuke, no matter the physical similarities between the two Uchihas. She simply had too much in common with him, but his hatred lingered and hers was dead and if he ever learned just how much in common they had…it was simply best if he didn't. There was still too much hatred in his heart. He might not understand, might not forgive.

"When did my life get so complicated," Sorano muttered into her pillow.

She fell asleep before she could figure it out.

* * *

To my fabulous readers:

**Epoch Everlasting-** When Hitoshi from the Land of Earth called Sorano "Traitor", it **is** a matter of perspective. Though it is noteworthy that Sorano didn't exactly deny the accusation. She merely said, "One cannot betray what was never there" in response to Hitoshi's accusing her of defecting to Konoha, but remember even Tsunade mentioned that Sorano had no allegiance. However, Hitoshi was referring to more than one incident (which will remain unknown for a couple more chapters), so Sorano couldn't absolutely deny the accusation of treachery. But you are catching onto the thread that there is something that allows Sorano to relate to Sasuke on a whole other level.

**Savvy0X-** I couldn't watch a great deal of the Sasuke retrieval arc because of the angst factor and it really irritated me how easily he pushed aside his friendships and how much it hurt everyone. But I do understand that Sasuke is one very tormented soul. I honestly believe that he still cares for Naruto and Sakura on some level but is repressing it in order to pursue his goal. There is a fic titled **"My Point of Weakness"** by **Alory Shannon** that is worth taking note of. It's one of those "Sasuke returns" fics but she wrote a chapter about his trial and the argument Naruto used to defend him which was the best I have ever seen anyone write. If you don't want to read the fic, at least read chapter 9. To put it plainly, no one in Konoha was willing to seek justice against Itachi for what he had done so how could they punish Sasuke for pursuing the only means open to him to avenge his family when **they** were all too scared to do it for him?

Sasuke the way he is now in the manga and anime really frustrates me, but taking his past into consideration and the basic human condition, I still think he is a really cool character. Who knows, with Sorano's influence I might even get you to like him.

**Thank you** all for your wonderful reviews and for reading (winks at chibi shy shadow readers).

**-** The next chapter will be a special treat because I have a companion one-shot that goes with it. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that since it might make it even harder for you all to wait for me to update. Oh well. (grins)


	21. Moments Like This

A/N- I wrote a companion one-shot titled "**À La Mode**" that you all might want to read after reading this chapter. There is a scene in here where Naruto and Hinata disappear for a little while, so if you want to know what happened with them while they were gone, you'll have to read the one-shot. ;-)

Also, I gotta say the one thing I love the most about the Naruto world is the unique mix of feudal society and modern convenience. They travel by foot but they have electricity. Go figure.

This chapter is dedicated to everyone pining for more Neji/Sorano fluff.

Enjoy!

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

**Moments Like This**

**Chapter 21**

"But why Sasuke?" Naruto whined for the eighth time since he arrived. "The guy is seriously disturbed!"

"Pass the butter," Sorano said.

"He could kill you in the blink of an eye!" The blonde exclaimed as he handed over the dish.

Sorano sliced off a slab and dropped it into the pan. "He's not going to kill me, Naruto," she said calmly. "Could you fluff the rice?"

"But why didn't you ask me instead?" he pouted as he attacked the rice with a wooden spoon.

"Because he offered first and," she paused for a moment then looked up into his big baby blue eyes. "Because he doesn't pull his punches. I can't get stronger if my opponent holds back."

Naruto blinked and then sighed. "I guess."

Sorano reached up and patted his cheek. "I've survived the week so far, haven't I?"

He snorted and crossed his arms. "You're obviously as deranged as he is."

She laughed softly as she started frying the tempura. "Perhaps. Between him and Lee it's a wonder I can move at all."

Naruto fished out the dishes to set the table. "You are very determined, Sorano-chan."

"So is the enemy," she said quietly, prodding the fish and vegetables.

"You're certain they will come," he asked as he arranged the plates and glasses.

She silently turned off the stove and arranged the food onto a serving plate.

"Sorano-chan," Naruto cautiously touched her elbow.

"They will come," she said as she carried the plate to the table. Turning back to face him, she smiled with a confidence she only half felt. "And I will be ready."

Naruto leaned against the counter, his arms crossed and a slight smile curling his lips. He was a fine specimen of masculinity in his orange dress shirt and black slacks. She had told him to dress nice since she was expecting other company and he had pulled through admirably. The top two buttons of his shirt were left open offering a teasing sight of bronzed skin.

Poor Hinata might not survive the night.

"You know we won't let you face this on your own, right?" he said.

She walked around him to dish the rice into a bowl. "I'm counting on it," she said and met his smiling eyes. "Will you get the door?"

His eyes squinted in confusion and he opened his mouth to question her when there was a sharp knock on the door. She laughed at his wide startled expression.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"It's six o'clock. Neji is always punctual," she said with a laugh as she pushed him towards the door.

"Neji, huh?" he grinned wickedly.

"Oh, hush," she said and he just laughed.

Sorano shook her head and turned back to arranging the rest of the meal and filling the glasses with iced tea. Naruto continued to chuckle as he opened the door to greet her guests. His mirth froze as he stared into shy, lavender shaded eyes.

"Hinata-chan!" His wide eyes swept over her petite form, from the pretty lilac printed dress to the adorable blush dusting her porcelain cheeks.

Sorano had conveniently refused to tell him who she had invited to dinner and he suddenly felt the oddest urge to straighten his obstinate hair.

"G-good evening, Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a shy smile. "I brought pie."

He managed to pull his gaze from her deepening blush to the dessert she held out.

"Cool," he said. "Come on in." He stepped back from the door. "Sorano-chan made tempura!"

"It smells wonderful," Hinata said as she walked in and offered her pie to Sorano, entirely unaware of the wide blue eyes that followed her.

"Thank you, Hinata," Sorano smiled. "This looks great. And you look lovely," she whispered and winked to which Hinata blushed again.

Naruto continued to stare in muddled confusion. _When did Hinata get so…wow!?_

"Close your mouth, Naruto."

His jaw snapped shut and he met Neji's intimidating gaze. Swallowing hard, Naruto blushed and scratched self-consciously at the back of his head. "Uh, h-hey, Neji. How's it going?"

Neji watched the blonde fidget nervously with carefully concealed amusement. Honestly, it was refreshing to see the clueless idiot finally notice his helplessly adoring cousin.

"It's been quiet enough," he said as he pushed the door closed.

Naruto nearly sighed in relief at the obvious escape he was offered. "Tell me about it. Missions have been scarce."

The two men turned to watch the girls put the finishing touches on the table.

"We should enjoy it while it lasts," Neji murmured.

Naruto smiled. "Yeah."

* * *

If Naruto was hoping for leftovers, he was sadly disappointed. Every last bite was swallowed up with great appreciation and compliments abounded. Hinata had ceased to stutter near the beginning of dinner though Naruto only had to look at her to make her blush. Their interaction was truly precious.

Hinata helped clear the plates and get smaller saucers for the pie. Watching Naruto's eyes follow the heiress' every move prodded another idea to life. Opening the freezer, Sorano glanced in and frowned.

"Hinata," she said as she closed the freezer. "I bet ice cream would go really great with your pie, but I'm all out."

"Oh," the girl blinked at her.

Sorano smiled as she walked over to her desk and fished out some money. "Naruto, why don't you take Hinata to get some ice cream?"

"Okay," the clueless blonde agreed, always eager to help. Poor Hinata looked uncertain as to whether she should faint or grin.

Sorano gave him the money and he nearly dragged Hinata out of the apartment, chattering excitedly all the way.

_Take the long route, Hinata._

"Never figured you for a matchmaker," Neji said with amusement.

"Just giving the poor girl a hand," Sorano said with a careless shrug as she filled the teakettle and set it to heat on the stove.

"Are Sakura and Sasuke next?"

"**That** man is an incurable idiot," she said as she started washing some of the dishes. Now that she was alone with him, she was beginning to doubt her decision to send Naruto and Hinata out. The man made her eyes hurt because she didn't want to blink and miss a whole second's worth of observation. He was dressed simply like Naruto except all in black, making his silvery eyes intensely impossible to avoid. Beauty was such a lethal package and Hyuuga Neji wore it well.

Neji watched her move about her small kitchen, his eyes lingering on her gentle curves. Her red blouse and short black skirt were very conservative, and probably borrowed, but they showed off her feminine features kindly. He was really enjoying the view of her shapely legs. It wasn't all together gentlemanly to be eyeing her up, but he **was** a man in every sense of the word and had no intention of denying his attraction to her. But she was flighty and any advances on his part would scare her off…or piss her off. He hadn't forgotten her reaction to the Daimyo's attention.

Yet despite her opposition to pursuing deeper personal relationships, she was eager to clue Naruto in to Hinata's affection. The lie about the ice cream was a clever move. He had seen two cartons in her freezer when she glanced in. And judging from how she was adamantly avoiding his gaze, she was hyper-aware of the fact that they were alone together for the first time since the mission.

"So the Uchiha is hopeless," he mused as he watched her washing dishes. Sorano was surprisingly domestic for having been a wanderer most of her life.

"Not hopeless," she said. "Just an idiot. He'll figure it out eventually."

"Why is it so important to you?"

Sorano kept her eyes on the dish she was washing. "They should enjoy what they have while they have it. It never lasts."

She froze when she felt his warmth brush against her, his chin resting on her shoulder while his hands gripped the sink on either side of her.

"Do you intend to take your own advice," he asked, his breath caressing her cheek, sending tiny shivers down her spine.

A part of her wanted to lean back into him and feel those strong arms wrap around her, but another part was terrified of feeling too strongly about anyone. She had lost too much and didn't know if she could open herself up again to that pain.

"Neji," her voice trembled with internal confusion.

He leaned against her as he reached for a dishtowel and smirked at her sharp intake of breath.

"You should," he said as he stepped back and started drying the plates in the dish rack.

Sorano stared at him for a moment, eyes wide as the intent behind his words and actions sunk in. _Does he feel something for me?_

She turned back to the few remaining dishes in the sink. "I…don't know how," she admitted quietly.

Neji blinked in surprise, never having expected her to respond. Usually at this point she would dance around the subject. An odd tension threaded through her body as she braced for emotional impact. She was offering him a vulnerable target freely, and knew it.

"What are you afraid of?" he asked gently.

She tucked the last dish into the dry rack and stared at her soapy hands. "If I had to right now, I could walk away from this. It would hurt, but I could do it and still wake up each day and…breathe."

"You're assuming we would let you go."

Sorano blinked uncertainly and reached for another drying towel, twisting it gently in her hands. "Why do you have so much faith in me," she whispered.

Neji dropped his towel on the counter and reached out to grasp her hands, encompassing them both with one of his. _She's so small. _"Because you've had more than enough chances to run away and didn't. Like it or not, you have made attachments and just because you let go, it doesn't mean we will."

He was right, damn it, and she didn't **want** to let go. To laugh and smile again was divine, to know that someone worried and cared, would hold her when she fell apart…those things were priceless.

Warm fingers curled under her chin, lifting her face towards him. That unease was still there each time he touched her. Instinct was telling her to flinch, but she fought it. His heart twisted painfully at her courage. It must have been agony to bear the Daimyo's constant, unwanted touches. The look in her ocean blue eyes was at once trusting and wary, cutting him deeply.

She didn't like to be touched with intimate intent, but he would break her of that unease in time. He was a patient man and he knew what he wanted. If he could break through the confines of his clan, then he could break through the walls she had built to protect her injured heart. Once he did, he would find out who hurt her, hunt him down, and castrate him.

His fingers grazed softly up her cheek and tucked a loose strand behind her ear, lingering on the curve of her jaw. Her hair was adorable pulled up and away from her face, but he preferred it down. It gave her such a carefree air.

"I would never hurt you, Sorano," he said.

Something flickered in her eyes too quickly for him to catch and she abruptly pulled away. The teakettle chose that moment to whistle, giving her an excuse to avoid his gaze. But he didn't miss the words she whispered under her breath, words he wasn't meant to hear.

"I've been told that before."

An uncomfortable knot of mixed emotion clenched in his stomach. Maybe he pushed a bit too hard, too soon, but apart from blatantly stating his intentions, it was the wiser choice. There was a level of trust uniquely offered to him alone that he would not risk damaging. Sorano trusted him to watch her back in battle, give silent comfort in darkness, and keep those moments of weakness to himself.

But to trust him with her heart was something he would have to carefully earn. Memory was too vivid and unrelenting for her to forget previous betrayal easily. He would have to give her new memories, better ones, just as he had done during the mission.

She poured the steaming water into a teapot with considerable less grace than she was capable of. Her hands were shaking and some of the water spilled over the side of the teapot. A muttered curse was her verbal acknowledgement of her anxiety and he suppressed a smile. Sorano was hardly an easy woman to fluster, but he seemed to have a gift for it.

Brushing aside his unseemly amusement, he handed her a towel. "I heard you've been training with Sasuke," he said and she looked up at him, startled by the unexpected change in conversation, her hand frozen mid-reach for the towel.

"Yes," she said warily.

"How is it working out?"

Suddenly she rolled her eyes and the strain between them evaporated. "You're not going to whine too, are you?"

"Naruto didn't take it well, then," he chuckled.

Sorano just shook her head as she toweled up the mess she made. "My ears are still ringing. It's not like I begged Sasuke to train with me."

"He offered?" Neji was surprised.

"He didn't think I would accept."

"Why did you?"

Sorano moved the teapot to the table. She would wait for Naruto and Hinata to return before pouring. "Because he offered."

Neji's eye twitched in annoyance. "Such perfect logic," he muttered and she couldn't withhold a smile.

"It was, actually," she leaned against the table and crossed her legs at the ankles, drawing his attention for a moment to the long lithe limbs.

"My chakra control is still weak and practicing ninjutsu will enhance my limits. He didn't say it quite so kindly, but," she shrugged, "he's still right."

"He probably just wants to satisfy his curiosity," Neji said with not a little envy.

"And he remains curious," she said with a teasing smirk. "Honestly, I'm just a novelty to the lot of you, aren't I?"

He didn't get a chance to reply because Naruto and Hinata returned. Both were flushed and Neji and Sorano exchanged amused glances. Apparently Naruto wasn't as dense as they thought. Neji, being the heiress' cousin and guardian, felt torn between giving Naruto an obligatory beating for getting fresh with his charge and being happy for Hinata. Her eyes had never sparkled so brightly before.

"Relax," Sorano whispered as she handed him two teacups. "He probably just asked her out or something."

"Hn, maybe," he took the cups to the table.

"Here's the ice cream, Sorano-chan."

"Thanks, Naruto," she gave him two cups in exchange for the ice cream. "Vanilla, perfect."

"Hinata-chan said it would go best with her pie," he beamed proudly as he took the cups back to the table.

Sorano smiled as she watched the quaint little picture play out. Hinata gingerly sliced and served the pie to the two men she loved. They made it look so easy, all the stings of the past momentarily forgotten. There was only homemade pie, hot tea, sweet ice cream, and good company. It was for moments like this they lived, fought, and died. She wanted that. More than anything, she wanted more moments like this.

Silver eyes looked up at her then, smiling and tempting her to take that chance, to accept what he offered despite her fears, despite the past. But that was asking too much, wasn't it?

The turmoil must have showed in her eyes and his fine brows dipped slightly. Neji was looking at her now as he had done the day they met, as if he could see straight into her heart, all her soul an open book, naked and exposed to his pearlescent gaze. That's why she had tried so desperately to avoid him from the start. She didn't want anyone to see the jagged, glued together pieces that barely made a whole. But he **had** seen, more than once, and he never mocked her or turned away. Instead he drew closer and for the life of her, she couldn't understand why.

Resigning herself to the inevitable stubbornness of the man, she joined them at the table. She offered him a timid smile and his gaze softened in silent reassurance.

"Sorano," he said.

"Hm?"

"You left the ice cream on the counter."

She blinked, and to her utter horror, blushed for the first time in four years.

* * *

A/N- Make sure you check out my one-shot **À La Mode**!

**Huggy- **Actually, they meant that Sasuke was acting weird in a suspicious way, like "what is he up to?" I'm relieved you think I write him well. The soft moments are hard to write, but if you pick the timing right and balance it with the right words and actions…okay it isn't easy. But if you study how they do it with the anime (both Neji and Sasuke do have kind moments in the anime), it helps.

**ElfPrincessKitty- **Hm, I never considered doing a one-shot about Sorano meeting Itachi. I don't think I could cause it was a traumatic experience for her and I tend to write more on the fluffy side of things than the scary side. Anyway, I wrote the one-shot about Naruto and Hinata going for ice cream because after I first wrote this chapter and was rereading it, I couldn't help wonder what happened that made **both **Naruto and Hinata blush. Plus it was a little necessary to explain how the two became closer as they are romantically involved in later chapters and yet the one-shot itself didn't really fit in the sequence of chapters in Ryukaze, so I made it a separate one-shot. It's a cute little story. I hope you enjoy it.

**Thank you** for all your wonderful and entertaining reviews and for reading. (puts on night vision goggles to see Chibi Shadow Readers) Eh heh heh, um these are prescription. Seriously!

Don't forget to check out **À La Mode**! What are you waiting for? Hey! Do you hear me? Why are you still reading this? Go! Clickity Click! Yeesh.


	22. When I Fall

Disclaimer: Naruto not mine, Sorano is. Me write, you read.

**When I Fall**

**Chapter 22**

The Uchiha Avenger crouched silently in the shadowed boughs, peering through the leaves in search of movement. It wasn't often he encountered an opponent to challenge his skill, but this one had proven to be particularly stealthy and cunning. He had been in pursuit for a good hour now and had only managed to catch fleeting glimpses.

A soft rustling drew his attention to his left in time to see a phantom of motion flicker past a nearby branch. His fingers twitched against his knee but he knew it was an illusion at best. The problem was that his opponent wasn't a genjutsu user and there was something distinctly different about these phantoms. They were clone-like in nature and yet unlike any clone he had ever encountered. For one thing, they were entirely insubstantial. With Sharingan he could clearly see the chakra threading through the clone as if it were a real person, but his kunai passed straight through one of them without dissipating or disrupting the jutsu, almost as if it weren't even there. The strange illusionary phantoms had been taunting him for nearly twenty minutes now and he was seriously becoming irritated. Patience never was his strong suit.

Suddenly one of the phantoms dropped onto his branch and grinned at him. It took a moment for him to understand, a moment too late to react. He caught both feet full in the side and crashed into the next tree. A lifetime of hard-earned shinobi instinct kept him from plummeting to the ground, though he left a nice dent in the trunk.

Balancing himself with his chakra, he glowered at Sorano. "What _was _that?"

Sorano dangled for a moment from the branch she had swung down from to send him flying like a drop-kicked squirrel, before letting go to land beside her identical phantom.

"I believe the proper term is distraction," she said with a smirk he could be proud of if he didn't have so many splinters.

Sweat soaked her shirt and trickled down her face, a few slick strands of white clinging to her temples and flushed cheeks. He could tell she had really strained herself with the jutsu. Just the fact that she used a jutsu he had never seen her use before was proof that her chakra control was immensely improving and she had maintained it for a good twenty minutes while balancing nearly thirty feet above the ground.

The phantom beside her dissolved into a fine wispy mist before disappearing into nothingness. He had never seen a clone disappear so gracefully before.

"Was that one of your techniques?" he asked curiously.

""Phantom Wind Clone," she said.

"Ah," he leaped towards her and she jerked back reflexively and tumbled off the branch.

Crashing through the lower branches, whips of fire sliced her bare arms and face as she blindly grasped to catch herself on anything substantial. Her chakra fluctuated dangerous when she tried to focus it in her hands, but it was too weak to even slow her fall as her nails clawed at the trunk.

A stout branch clipped her in the ribs and knocked the wind from her lungs with blinding pain and she lost focus on what little chakra she had. It felt like an eternity. The ground wasn't really that far, was it?

Pain flared through her shoulder as she jerked to sudden stop, her vision blurring for a moment before it registered her fatal descent had been halted.

"Sorano!"

She managed to focus on the wide, concerned eyes above her, a dark, cold abyss alight with unexpected emotion.

"I think I…" her voice faded as her vision swirled again and remained dark.

"Sorano!" Sasuke shook her gently, but she remained limp, her head hanging like a broke doll.

Swearing softly, he pulled her up into his arms. That had been a rare moment of panic for him, watching her tumble helplessly, her pale hand barely glowing as it scraped at the tree for a hold she couldn't find. She didn't cry out until she slammed into a limb and it was more of a strangled gasp than a cry.

He was in full flight by then, diving off his branch and catching her by the wrist barely ten feet above the ground. Either the chakra exhaustion or pain made her pass out which was probably a good thing. Her breathing was strained and erratic, from a busted rib most likely.

With care he would never own up to, Sasuke cradled her limp body and leapt off towards the hospital.

He was proud of her. Maybe he didn't have a right to be, but he was. Sorano never complained about the rigorous training he put her through nor questioned his methods. There were the obligatory disgruntled glares from time to time, but he would question her sanity if she didn't get irritated. She was hardly a pushover, taking everything he threw at her in determined silence. What she didn't have in physical strength she compensated for with cunning strategy, stealth, speed, and remarkable resilience. Sorano had proven herself to be a kunoichi in every sense of the word and he would gladly stand beside her in battle.

Unfortunately, if Naruto caught him taking her to the hospital for an injury _he_ was responsible for, it was unlikely he would ever get that chance. He would be dead by morning, or close to it.

So he took the high road, leaping across the buildings until he landed in the hospital courtyard. A few people were startled and scattered at his sudden arrival. He ignored them and strode into the hospital, straight past the wide-eyed nurses at the desk and down the hall. A few stuttering protest were thrown after him, but his intent was standing just ahead of him scribbling on a clipboard.

"Sakura," he called and the medic's pink head jerked up in surprise.

"Sasuke," her eyes narrowed sharply on the woman in his arms. "What happened?"

"Fell out of a tree. I think she busted a rib."

Sakura scowled. "People don't just fall from trees, Sasuke."

"We were training," he explained as he followed her into an empty room. "She exhausted her chakra and lost her balance."

Sakura shook her head. "You push too hard, Sasuke."

He grunted as he gently laid Sorano down, careful not to jostle her too much. "She can take it."

Sakura sighed in exasperation as she reached out to check Sorano's injuries. A healing green glow encompassed her hands as she sought out the damage, fixing as she found, probing deeper into bruised tissue with barely a thought.

"Two ribs," she murmured as she manipulated the bones. "You'll have to go easy on her for a few days so she can heal properly."

"Hn."

The Uchiha enjoyed watching her work, though he wished it wasn't Sorano lying on that bed just then. Sakura had a natural, gentle touch and a genuine heart that made her the preferred medic for most of Anbu. She loved what she did and it showed. The woman was strong in ways he never expected and he was an idiot for never recognizing it. But then, he **was** Uchiha Sasuke and nothing involving emotions had ever been easy for him.

It took may years of mistakes and pain to see that a great deal of the strength of the Village Hidden in the Leaves dwelled within its kunoichi; women like Sakura, Hinata, and Sorano who forced themselves to surpass their limits, harbor their pain and that of others, and still could smile and laugh in a way that made a man forget.

He was getting soft.

Ignorant of the silent man's inner soliloquy, Sakura finished off the many cuts and scrapes Sorano received from her tumble and tightly bound her lower ribcage for support.

"Might as well let her sleep and recover her chakra," she said when she finished. "You may want to make yourself scarce. Naruto's going to skin you alive when he gets wind of this."

"Hn," he grunted in agreement and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"And don't ask me to heal you after he does!" she hollered after him as he walked away with his usual unconcerned saunter.

* * *

Cerulean eyes blinked open slowly, disoriented and confused. The stark white tiles above her were unfamiliar and very sterile looking. Wherever she was, she didn't walk there on her own because she very distinctly remembered falling, pain, dark, worried eyes…

Shifting carefully, she felt little more than a dull ache and lingering exhaustion. Sasuke must have brought her to the hospital…

"Sasuke," she gasped as she jolted up.

"Did you hit your head too?" a quiet voice asked and she looked over to see Neji leaning against the window watching her with dry amusement.

Sorano grimaced and ran a hand through her loose hair. "Probably."

Neji chuckled softly. "How do you feel?"

"Tired, sore," she sighed. "How long have I been out?"

"A few hours. It seems your recovery time is improving," he slowly walked towards her.

Sorano drew her hand over her face, unaware of the mess she made of her white tresses. "Please tell me Naruto hasn't murdered Sasuke."

"The Uchiha has wisely made himself scarce, but Naruto will find him eventually."

"It wasn't his fault. I'd be in a lot worse shape if Sasuke didn't catch me," she said as she dropped her hands limply into her lap and looked up at him.

"Somehow I don't think that's going to make it any better," he said softly.

Sorano groaned. "Over-protective noodle-head," she muttered.

Neji chuckled as he reached out to smooth down the tangled mess she made. Sorano stiffened, her eyes widening at the unexpected touch, but she caught herself before pulling away. Neji didn't miss the moment of conflict. Firmly holding her wide, uncertain gaze, he gently slipped his fingers through the tangles until her white tresses lay more smoothly. As much as he would love to continue playing with her hair, he forced himself to pull back. _A little at a time, Hyuuga._

"What were you working on?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Sakura said you fell from a tree."

She was still uneasy with the lingering feel of his lithe fingers trailing through her hair, but she firmly resisted the urge to move away from his proximity.

"Sasuke thought remaining in the trees would help my chakra control but I over-extended myself with a jutsu. They are getting easier to execute," she said.

Neji raised a curious brow. "What sort of jutsu?"

Sorano smiled with amusement. "One of mine. It was a very simple jutsu, but I've never held it for so long before."

"Oh, good, you're awake," Sakura chirped as she pushed the door open.

"Am I going to live?" Sorano deadpanned and the rosette medic-nin laughed.

"You will. Sasuke on the other hand…"

Sorano shook her head. "He's going to regret ever offering to train with me."

"He can take it," Sakura assured her cheerfully. "How do you feel? Any pain? Dizziness?"

"Just tired and kind of achy."

"Good," she made a note on her clipboard. "You had two cracked ribs and some cuts and scrapes. Nothing too serious. I was more concerned with your chakra exhaustion. You can seriously damage your chakra system if you keep pushing this hard."

Sorano had the grace to look sufficiently chastised. "I know. I'll tone it down, I promise."

Sakura seemed satisfied that she would. "Sasuke said you can keep up with him for a good two hours when you keep to the ground. That's better than most. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Sorano offered a fleeting smile. "You're one to talk."

Sakura blushed, glared, then grinned wickedly. "Neji, why don't you take Sorano home. Do you have a mission tomorrow?"

"No, why?" he asked.

"Good, because **you** are going to make sure **she**," she jabbed a finger at Sorano, "takes it easy tomorrow. No training and no using chakra."

Sorano scowled. "You don't trust me?"

Sakura snorted. "I have yet to meet a ninja who didn't train immediately after healing despite doctor's orders. And don't try the whole 'I'm not a ninja' technicality cause I'm not buying," she snapped when the blue-eyed woman opened her mouth to protest.

"Anyone who would train willingly with Sasuke without complaint is bound to be stubborn," she finished.

"I hate you," Sorano muttered without heat and Neji bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her disgruntled pout.

Sakura grinned and winked at the Hyuuga. "Have fun!"

* * *

Thanks to the Chibi Shy Shadow Readers for sticking by me too. I'm glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter and my one-shot **A La Mode** so much.


	23. Defender of the Avenger

A/N- The events of Sorano's and Neji's day together span from chapter 23 to chapter 26. I thought I should mention that so no one gets confused. I promise you won't be disappointed with what happens over the course of these chapters. ;-)

Disclaimer: …seriously?

**Defender of the Avenger**

**Chapter 23**

Hyuuga Neji knocked on her door at nine o'clock sharp, knowing she would be feeling restless by then. Sorano had lingered in bed for as long as possible, alternating between plotting revenge against the conniving pink-haired medic-nin and the memory of Neji's fingers slipping through her hair.

There was nothing innocent about his touch and it frightened and excited her at the same time. Intent lingered in his eyes, an offer she was afraid to accept, but…this was Neji: strong, stubborn, honorable Neji. She would be lying if she denied ever wondering what it could be like to give in to him because the man was beautiful in more than just form.

Around eight o'clock, she abandoned her warm bed to get dressed, knowing the annoyingly persistent man would take Sakura's words very literally and could show up at any moment. If she had to spend the entire day in his presence, she wanted to at least look confident even if she didn't feel it.

Rarely did she ever give much thought to her appearance. There was always something more important, more pressing than what she wore or how she styled her hair. So it was a slightly uncomfortable experience staring at her meager wardrobe and wondering what to wear for a day spent in the company of one of Konoha's most desirable men who likely had designs on her.

Finally she decided on a dark green, long sleeve shirt that fit considerably more snug than her usual number. As a rule, she avoided anything that hugged her figure, never wanting to draw more attention than necessary, especially to that part of her. But cooler weather was on its way and layering was the solution so she had added a few of the form fitting shirts to her wardrobe. In any case, the shirt looked nice with her usual black pants.

Taking a brush to her hair, she decided perhaps to leave it down for a change. Then again, it might encourage more unwanted attention. Okay, not unwanted, just unprepared for. That decided it and she twisted it up into its usual bun and used two sticks to hold it.

Satisfied with her meager attentions to appearance, Sorano took a moment to study her features.

She didn't like mirrors, too much a reflection of her past. Snowy white hair was inherent only in the Main House of her clan, but the deep blue eyes were her mother's, a kind, merciful woman without a trace of shinobi skill. She still died a shinobi death.

What a strange living monument she had become, her features the only remnant of a rare love. One day, when she looked in a mirror, would she ever just see herself?

Abruptly turning away, she tried to focus her thoughts on more pleasant things…like breakfast. A little something to eat might push back the lingering fatigue she couldn't seem to shake.

Eggs and toast were simple fare, but filled her stomach suitably. She had just finished drying her dishes when there was a knock on her door. Suddenly the calm she had managed to achieve was all too fleeting. Nervously, she started to fuss with her loose bangs and straighten her clothes when she realized she was acting like a little schoolgirl. Rolling her eyes at her inanity, she forced herself to remember her lingering irritation with the Hyuuga prodigy.

True to his word, he had taken her straight home from the hospital the night before, despite her protests. Sorano had a pressing need to find Sasuke. She was worried about Naruto's over-protective reaction and Sasuke's own habit of internal destruction. The man didn't talk much, especially about himself, but it wasn't necessary. He was a far easier read than the Hyuuga despite his stoic nature because he and she were more alike than two people should be.

There was a glint in his eyes during training that told her he enjoyed their sparing and was proud of her progress. He would never tell her as much, but the occasional widening of his beautiful obsidian eyes spoke loud and clear when he was impressed. It was subtleties like these she had learned to read in those dark orbs that told her what sort of man Sasuke was. She had no doubt he felt responsible for her injuries.

She had expected the Uchiha to be as strict a taskmaster as Lee, but he proved to be just as attentive and conscious of her limits and abilities as he was strict. She would never forget the worry in his eyes when he caught her just moments before she passed out. Because of this, she desperately wanted to assure him she was fine, _they_were fine.

But the infinitely stubborn, overbearing Hyuuga took her straight home, stuffed her with leftovers he found in her fridge, and ordered her to bed. At that point she was no longer capable of protest and a part of her was forced to admit it was nice having him tuck her in and watch over her until she had fallen blissfully asleep to dream of moonbeam eyes.

It should have alarmed her that she was becoming so used to his constant presence in her life, but the thought of loosing it bothered her more.

So steeling her resolve, Sorano swung open the door to greet her guardian for the day with a mildly irritable scowl.

"I'm still mad at you," she said by way of greeting.

Neji's lips twitched with amusement. "Good morning to you too."

Sorano's dour expression instantly shifted into a pleasant, amiable smile. "Good morning, Neji," then she scowled. "I'm still mad at you."

The Hyuuga scoffed. "Sakura is rubbing off on you. Maybe you should spend more time with Hinata. Nothing ever upsets her."

Sorano sighed. "You're so cute when you're delusional."

He smirked when she called him cute until the rest of her words caught up with him. Then he glared. "Keep it up and I won't take you to find Sasuke."

Sorano glared right back and he smirked triumphantly. Finally she glanced away and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "arrogant prick".

"What was that?" he asked.

"Nothing," she smiled cheekily.

He raised a skeptical brow, but decided he would let her go for now seeing as how she was looking so nice and her eyes were dancing with mischief and amusement. Having known her long enough, it was obvious she had taken some care with her appearance today, however slight it might have been. He felt rather flattered.

"Did you eat breakfast?"

"Yes."

"Good. Let's go," he said as he gently grabbed her wrist and tugged her out of the apartment. Sorano dutifully closed and locked the door under his watchful eye, knowing a lecture was looming if she didn't. When they reached street level, Neji reluctantly released her wrist.

"I figured we would check the training grounds first," he suggested.

"Sounds good," Sorano said with a pleasant smile as she allowed herself to relax into a leisurely pace beside him. Unlike Sasuke's brooding silence, Neji's quiet company had an oddly comforting effect on her. The man was the epitome of serenity due to his tightly controlled emotions. The broiling mixture of hate, pain, and anger present in Sasuke was all but absent in Neji. Sorano wasn't foolish enough to believe Neji had lived a happy, pain free existence. She herself preferred to hide behind an equally pleasant façade.

But whatever dark secrets Neji harbored, they were controlled and possibly already dealt with and accepted. Sorano found in Neji what she could never find in herself: stability. Maybe that was what kept her from running when the brush of his fingers or the intense look in his eyes unnerved her.

Lost in her swirling ruminations, she remained oblivious to the constant glances her companion was shooting at her. She was smiling again. Not the happy grin she had when Naruto did something, well, Naruto-ish, and it wasn't the passive smile she offered to friends and strangers alike in passing. It was a lingering, contented curl of the lips, the kind one had when reflecting on pleasant memories. He would give half his savings to know what she was thinking right then.

The training grounds came into view and many were taking advantage of the crisp morning air. Sasuke wasn't to be seen but before Neji had a chance to point it out, a green blur zipped across the field and attacked Sorano.

"My precious Snowflake! I am relieved beyond words to see your youthful spirit remains strong in the face of injury!"

"Can't…breathe," Sorano gasped but Lee only seemed to hug her tighter.

"Rest assured, I will not allow your passionate fire to be extinguished by the Uchiha's ignorant methods!"

"Lee, she's turning blue," Neji warned with increasing irritation. He was half a second from juuken-ing the green beast when he instantly released Sorano from his strangle hold. The poor woman gasped for breath while cradling her aching ribs and Lee rattled off a series of tearful apologies.

"I'm fine, Lee, really," she said with a soothing smile.

His waterfall tears were instantly replaced with burning flames. "Fear not, sweet Sorano-san, for I will protect you from Uchiha Sasuke's dangerous hands! I will not allow him to be so careless with my precious student again!"

Neji watched with interest as something snapped in the snowy-haired woman, her smile vanishing and her eyes narrowing sharply. Her hands fisted at her side before she forced them to relax.

"Is that what you really think?" she asked softly.

Lee broke off in tangent at her soft query, not having missed the change in her demeanor despite his exuberance.

"Sorano-san?" he murmured in surprise.

Sorano took a deep breath to calm herself. She was actually _angry_ with this odd yet kind man who had been a friend and mentor. Such intense emotions were a forgotten experience for her, but she welcomed them all the same.

"Do you really think Sasuke would intentionally hurt me?" she asked.

Lee blinked at her uncertainly. "Uh, well," he looked sheepish for a moment but recovered quickly. "Perhaps not," he conceded and lifted a finger to make a point. "But he was careless in his training and—."

"No more than you have been," she interrupted quietly.

Lee stared at her open mouthed for a moment before sighing, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "But—."

"Injuries happen in training," she reminded him, "and if Sasuke were not such a capable instructor and ninja I would have suffered a graver injury." Lee's shoulders slumped further. Neji almost felt sorry for the man and apparently, so did Sorano.

She reached up and gently grasped Lee's broad shoulders. "Thank you for worrying," she said.

Lee lifted his subdued gaze to find her smiling gently up at him. "I'm not used to having so many people care about what happens to me," she continued shyly. "Forgive me if I have difficulty accepting it."

Black eyes softened. "Sorano-san." Before his eyes could start watering again, Sorano squeezed his shoulders and stepped back.

"Sakura said I can return to light training tomorrow, if that's alright with you?"

Lee grinned and struck a pose. "Yosh, Sorano-san! I will be ready and waiting!"

She chuckled. "Good. Now, have you see Naruto or Sasuke?"

"Ah, yes. Naruto-kun was called to the Hokage for a mission. He may not return for a few days."

Sorano nearly sighed in relief. That was one conflict that could be put off for awhile. "And Sasuke?"

Lee frowned. "I have not see Sasuke-kun all day. I do not know where he could be."

"Thanks, Lee," Neji said and Sorano glanced at him, surprised she had forgotten his presence in the onslaught of unexpected emotions.

"Anytime, my eternal rival!" Lee shot them a blinding smile before zipping off again.

Neji just shook his head since rolling his eyes was too immature for a genius like him. His amusement faded when he glanced down at Sorano. A pensive expression clouded her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"How many people do you think heard about what happened?" she asked.

Neji shrugged. "Why?"

"Do people still only see Sasuke as a traitor?"

Neji frowned. "There are some who did not understand the circumstances and refuse to forget."

Sorano tilted her face towards the blue sky. "Trust is hard to earn twice," she murmured. "We aren't going to find him here or anywhere public."

Neji agreed. If Lee's reaction was anything to go by, few would be feeling amiable towards the Avenger today.

"Neji," blue eyes turned to him. "Where does Sasuke live?"

* * *

**TeenAnimeLover-** I think Neji is too in control of his emotions most of the time (with the obvious exception of his battle with Hinata) to not go after a girl without a well devised plan. The guy _is_ a jonin after all and a genius. Some fics write him as being oblivious to female emotions and I enjoy stories like that if they are written well (they are usually pretty funny too) but considering the Byakugan's ability to read emotion, I don't find it altogether believable that Neji would be so oblivious.

There were so many new reviewers and readers this chapter. I'm so happy! (dances)


	24. Sorano's Affection

A/N- Wow, everyone reviewed so fast I kind of get the feeling you wanted me to update early. Um, a couple people had asked me about ages, so in case the rest of you were wondering too the Rookie 9 are 19 and Team Gai and Sorano are 20. Okay, enough talk. Let's read.

Standard Disclaimer Applies

**Sorano's Affection**

**Chapter 24**

Hyuuga Neji was not thrilled about being in the Uchiha district. It was eerily empty, haunted by gruesome memories, a ghost town in and of itself. To put it simply, the place gave him the creeps. He couldn't understand why Sasuke remained there alone, but then, memories were all the man had.

Sorano appeared to be hyper-sensitive to the oppressive silence, pausing every once in a while to take in her surroundings with wary respect.

"People tend to avoid this area," Neji commented while he observed her gently touching the faded Uchiha Crest on one of the walls.

"He probably prefers that," Sorano murmured, lost in some distant memory of her own. Was her family home just as barren, overgrown with weeds and vines?

"Sasuke lives in the main house," he said and pointed to the dark building ahead. Reminded once more of why she was there in the first place, Sorano forced memory out of her mind and continued on. As they neared the wall encircling the house, they both picked up the sound of movement in the courtyard.

"I'll wait here," Neji said. Sasuke wasn't likely to appreciate his presence and Sorano understood.

"Okay," she smiled gratefully.

The large doors to the courtyard were pushed halfway open and probably had been so for many years. Sasuke was at the far end of the patchy grass and dirt yard, hurtling kunai at a much abused target with vicious force. Only a fool would approach him in what was clearly a black mood, but Sorano couldn't turn away now.

She was halfway across the yard when he suddenly spun. Her hand snapped on reflex to catch the deadly object flung at her with wicked speed, stopping it just inches from her face.

"Why are you always throwing things at…me…" her voice trailed off as she looked down at the weapon in her hand. It was comfortable, too comfortable, like an old, deadly friend.

Her fingers curled around the hilt, testing the weight, and she instinctively began to shift it into proper form. If it was held just so…

A strong hand suddenly grasped her own, stilling her thoughts and movement.

Sasuke hadn't taken the time to identify the intruder creeping up on him, his emotions too tangled and fierce to care. It had been the last person he expected and her cat-like reflexes saved her from serious injury. But the sudden sharpness of her cerulean eyes, the familiar ease with which she handled the kunai unnerved him. Sorano didn't touch weapons…ever.

His grip on her wrist seemed to draw her from whatever world her mind had slipped into and she blinked rapidly before meeting his gaze. Sasuke fought the urge to flinch as he stared into pupils dilated and slit like Naruto's when he used the Kyuubi's chakra. In that moment he couldn't be certain if she even knew who he was.

Carefully tugging on her slender fingers, he freed the kunai from her grasp, feeling far from comfortable leaving a weapon in her possession. With the insistent tug of his warm hand, she released the kunai and blinked away the cold haze that had entered her vision.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me," Sasuke said when he saw her eyes shift back to normal.

"I was hardly sneaking," Sorano said as she looked at her now empty hand. Her fingers flexed experimentally, feeling unnaturally cold and bereft. Shaking off the feeling, or lack of, she looked back up at the Uchiha. "Why are you hiding out here anyway?"

Sasuke scowled. "I'm not hiding. It's just quieter here."

Sorano almost smiled until she noticed the bruising along his jaw. "That's from Naruto, isn't it."

Obsidian eyes shifted away from her while he continued to scowl. "Aren't you suppose to be resting or something?"

_Not Naruto, then._ For some reason this irritated her even more than Lee's misconception. What right did anyone else have to interfere, to judge their relationship?

She would get in trouble for this if Neji or Sakura found out, but they still couldn't stop her from doing it.

Sasuke flinched when her fingers brushed over the bruise. An irritated retort froze on the tip of his tongue as he looked down at her. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration, a soft blue glow at the edge of his vision where her fingers lingered on his jaw.

Sakura's touch was always warm, comforting like a mother's hug. Sorano's touch was a soothing cool breeze against the throbbing pain. He didn't know she knew any healing techniques and vaguely considered that she shouldn't be using her chakra so soon after suffering chakra exhaustion and injury. But he couldn't find the heart to scold her when she was concentrating so hard, healing him so tenderly while knowing she shouldn't.

With a final brush of her thumb, she pulled away and inspected his face with satisfaction. "I'm not made of glass," she said.

Sasuke studied her challenging gaze. He knew well enough just how tough this woman was, but it wasn't her body that worried him. In the short time he had known her, and the shorter time he had been training with her, he had come to see through her pleasant, easy-going façade.

He knew pain when he saw it. Sorano hid it well, so little seeping through to the surface, but it was there in the slight tilt of her head, the occasional darkening of her brilliant eyes. The signs became more obvious after she first reacted to his Sharingan and the memories it invoked. She was emotionally and psychologically damaged and he wasn't willing to pressure her control.

Sorano wasn't made of glass anymore than he was, but the cracks and fissures were there. They both were ticking time bombs. Perhaps that was why he found himself so accepting of her company now. There was something kindred about her. It was kind of creepy.

But he had taken her under his tutelage, albeit in a fit of lunacy, and that made her his responsibility. It was time to confront her little idiosyncrasies. Another occurrence that put her in the hospital was **not** going to happen, and he wouldn't be able to sleep until he learned the secrets behind her strange, changing eyes.

"Same time tomorrow," he suggested and was rewarded with her bright smile.

"Thank you, Sasuke," she said and as an after thought, leaned up and quickly kissed his cheek.

Uchiha Sasuke stood frozen in place long after she disappeared from the courtyard, eyes wide in shock. Tentatively he touched his cheek, his skin still warm and tingling from the most deliberate display of affection Sorano had ever given anyone. Shaking his head, he turned back to his training feeling ridiculously content.

* * *

Sorano found her Hyuuga escort leaning against the outer wall, arms folded and head tilted down as if dozing. She smiled at the casual picture he presented, all lean strength and cold arrogance. Cold is what she felt when he looked up, his pearlescent eyes staring straight through her.

Something was very wrong, but his features were carefully schooled and unreadable, so she could only attribute her unease to instinct.

"Finished?" he asked in his calm, even tone.

"Yes," she said and fought the urge to fidget under his gaze.

Neji pushed away from the wall and she warily fell in step beside him. The usual companionable silence she enjoyed in his presence felt strained and she couldn't help shooting glances at him from the corner of her eye. By the time they left the Uchiha district, she had reached her limit.

"What's wrong?" she asked the closed-off man.

"Why would anything be wrong," was the clipped reply.

Sorano blinked uncertainly. "You just seem irritated or something."

Neji merely snorted, not willing to dignify that with a proper reply. Irritated was an understatement, after all.

At first he intended to have words with her about using her chakra so soon after recovery, even if it was a healing jutsu. Sasuke was hardly in agony with such a minor bruise. But all thought flew out the window when she kissed him. She _**kissed**_ him, the Uchiha Avenger, the one man every girl in Konoha would give all her worldly possessions to kiss! And even worse, he _**let**_ her!

Neji did not consider himself a jealous man. He never had anything to be jealous about. He was the genius of the oldest shinobi clan in Konoha, an absolute master of the Byakugan and Gentle Fist style, and the first among his peers to make jonin. His friends were the elite of Konoha and he had a fan club to rival the Uchiha's, not that he had ever really bothered much with women.

But one woman finally catches his interest and she gives her kiss to Sasuke of all people! He knew he was being childish and petty, but it never occurred to him that he might have a rival for Sorano's affection.

People were drawn to her pleasant nature and more than a few men had taken notice. Likely the only reason she hadn't been approached was because she was always in the company of himself, Lee, Naruto, or Sasuke. Maybe this training with Sasuke was a bad idea after all. They were obviously getting closer, no longer tossing glares back and forth. Did she prefer the brooding Avenger's company over his own? Neji had never doubted himself so much before.

It took him a few moments to realize he was walking alone. Blinking out of his thoughts, he looked around until he saw her standing in front of a shop window staring at the display. Wondering what could have caught her attention, he made his way back to find it was one of the weapon's stores, specifically the one Tenten worked at when not on missions.

"These are very well crafted," Sorano remarked when she felt him beside her. She was admiring a set of kunai and she was right, they were of the finest make.

"You have an eye for weapons even if you don't use them," he observed, remembering how she had handled the kunai Sasuke threw at her with familiar ease.

Sorano remained silent for a moment, debating on how much she should say. Neji's comment wasn't prying and he had already made it clear that he would never do so. _"You will tell me when you are ready." _Those had been his exact words. She didn't know if she was ready, but she wanted to be.

"I used twin blades," she heard herself say, "each about eight inches long, slender, light-weight. They were my father's."

Neji watched her touch the window gently as if afraid she might break the glass, or worse, the memory. She had just admitted to using blades as if they had been a part of her like the short sword was a part of the Anbu uniform, but he always had the impression she hated weapons. "Where are they now?"

Sorano shook her head. "They served their purpose. I didn't need them anymore."

_Like her chakra when she decided to suppress it._ Neji followed her steady gaze to the displayed weapons. "And now?"

"Things are different now. I'm starting over," she said it slowly, carefully as if needing to be certain of that fact. "But I'm not quite ready for this yet."

"You seem proficient enough."

"Yes, well, that was reflex. Sasuke likes to throw…" she frowned for a moment before looking up at him. "Were you spying on us?"

Neji blinked. "It's not like I could hear what you said."

Her accusing glare suddenly turned sheepish. "Is that why you're upset? It was just a little chakra and I hardly feel tired."

"You still shouldn't have done it and that's not what's bothering me," he scowled.

_At least he admits something is bothering him. If not my use of chakra then what else…_

"Oh," she said as she covered her mouth and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Oh, what," his eyes narrowed in suspicion at the amusement dancing in her cerulean orbs.

"Neji, are you jealous?"

The Hyuuga glowered at her. "No," he said sharply, then turned on his heal with great dignity and walked away.

Sorano tried hard to suppress her laughter before chasing after him.

"I was only thanking him," she said when she caught up, but his pace was quick and she had to nearly jog to keep even. His noble features were set in an irritated scowl.

"It didn't mean anything," she tried again but he continued to ignore her.

Who knew the stoic Hyuuga could be such a drama queen! But no, that wasn't entirely fair of her. Things were different between them and Neji was just as aware of that as she was. The way he looked at her, touched her as if she were something to be cherished…she only ever pulled away, afraid of feeling too much, of getting hurt again. And Neji never knew exactly where he stood with her, unlike the others. He deserved some reassurance from her if she could give it.

"Neji," she grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop. "It's not like he has ever kissed **me**," she said. "And you have."

His scowl faltered as he considered that. She was right, but there was a big difference between accepting his kiss which had been given for comfort, and willingly giving her own.

"Neji," she tugged on his arm and he looked down to find her eyes wide and sincere. "He isn't you."

Sighing out the rest of his frustration, he pried his arm free from her grasp. Her pretty eyes darkened with hurt at his withdrawal and he felt an unexpected pang in his chest. She really was emotionally fragile and he often forgot that when faced with her stubborn nature, but it had not been his intent to withdraw anyway. Having freed his arm, he caught up her hand and firmly entwined their fingers.

"I don't think Sasuke would like the comparison either," he said with a soft smile.

"I imagine not," she agreed with relief.

He tugged gently on her hand and she fell in step beside him at a much more leisurely pace. They walked in silence and Sorano became more and more aware of her hand in his as they seem to draw more attention from passersby. It wasn't everyday Hyuuga Neji held a woman's hand and in public no less.

Heat flooded her face and pinkened her cheeks as she tried to discreetly tug her hand free. "Neji," she whispered anxiously.

"Stop fidgeting," he said with amusement.

"But, everyone is staring," she hissed.

"Because you are fidgeting."

Sorano sighed and stopped struggling against his apparently unbreakable grasp. "You are the most exasperating man I have ever met."

"I can live with that."

"I'm not sure **I** can," she muttered.

Neji chuckled softly, content with the warmth of her small hand tucked into his. Perhaps it was less than noble to take advantage of her guilt like this, but he had every intention of indulging in whatever intimacy she was willing to share.

She had all but said there was nothing of a romantic nature existing between her and Sasuke, and he believed her. Sorano kept her secrets but she never lied to him and was well aware of the effect they had on each other, but he wasn't willing to take a chance on losing her to someone else now that he realized it was possible. He could hardly ravish her in the middle of Konoha for all to see him stake his claim, not that the idea wasn't appealing to _him,_ so he settled for holding her hand for the time being.

Sorano nearly jumped when she felt his thumb caress the side of her hand. The intimate gesture sent tingles through her body. It was obvious Neji couldn't care less about who saw them with fingers entangled, walking close enough to feel each others warmth. No one could mistake the act as merely friendship, not even her.

She had taken many risks since coming to Konoha. She made friends, trusted her life to them and felt more alive, more human than she had in all her life. Risks, chances, they were the essence of possibilities. He was asking her, in his own silent way, to take a chance now.

That was how she found herself staring up at the series of steps leading up the face of Konoha's monument.

* * *

To my eager readers:

**La-** I sincerely doubt Sorano _really_ wants to know about Lee's fetish with green spandex. Though to be fair, he actually has a good reason for wearing it. I believe it was in one of the filler episodes when there was a flashback of when Team Gai first met their sensei and Gai explained how the green spandex allowed freer movement and comfort (especially for Lee's taijutsu specialty) and of course Lee idolizes Gai anyway. Actually, in that episode Neji admits to his admiration for Lee's determination and dedication as well as his gratitude for Lee's admiration for Gai which incidentally saved him and Tenten from having to wear the green spandex. As for Sasuke, well, I'll just say that actually he is the **last** person Sorano wants to know about her past. I'll just let you chew on that for a bit.

Thanks to all who reviewed!


	25. Brittle Trust of a Fractured Heart

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.

**Brittle Trust of a Fractured Heart**

**Chapter 25**

"Is this your idea of taking it easy?" Sorano asked as she skeptically eyed the series of steps leading up the five faces of Konoha's monument.

Neji chuckled as he released her hand. "What are a few steps to someone who trains with Lee?"

_Good point, but still,_ she opened her mouth to argue when his arms suddenly wrapped around her and pulled her back against his chest. She stiffened at the unexpected contact, but he patiently waited for her to relax in his embrace before forming hand signs.

Being transported by someone else was seriously disorienting and Sorano grasped frantically at his arms to steady herself. Neji smirked at her reaction and hugged her closer, enjoying the feel of her soft body against his while he could. Soon enough, she regained her senses and slapped at his arms not entirely gently.

"Warn me before you do that," she scowled.

Neji chuckled warmly. "My apologies," he said without an ounce of sincerity as he slowly pulled away, letting his hands linger on her waist before stepping back.

Sorano fought the urge to shiver and focused on the panoramic view before her. Neji had transported them to the top of the monument and the expanse of Konoha was laid out before her in all its vibrant glory.

"I never realize how big it really is," she murmured in wonder.

"We took a lot of damage during the War with Sound and half of it was left unlivable."

"And now?" she asked quietly.

"We rebuilt. Though our ninja population suffered, many civilians have taken refuge here. Konoha is still the strongest of the shinobi villages," Neji said with pride.

"Being the strongest often makes you a target," she mused.

"Are you speaking from experience?"

Sorano turned away from the view to find him sitting on a blanket spread out on the bare rock, a picnic basket beside him. His eyes were dancing with amusement and she wondered if he knew his teasing question had very serious implications.

"I think history speaks for itself," she said evasively. "What is this?"

"Lunch," he said with a smirk. "Hungry?"

Her stomach rumbled quietly at the suggestion and Sorano grimaced. "I suppose."

Neji chuckled as he pulled the basket toward him. "Hinata-sama prepared it for us, so I assure you it is quite safe."

"Oh! Is there pie?" she asked as she joined him on the blanket.

Neji laughed at her eagerness. "Maybe. What will you give me for it?"

Sorano scoffed. "Nice try. And here I thought you were a gentleman."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" he grinned wickedly as he began laying out the contents of the basket. He wasn't above buying a kiss with Hinata's baked goods. It seemed like a fair trade to him, but it looked like he would have to get that kiss by other means. There was no way the Uchiha was going to one up him on this.

Sorano merely shook her head and happily dug into one of the bento boxes, sighing contentedly.

"She's good," she stated. "I can see why you asked her."

Neji snorted indignantly. "I'm not entirely incapable."

"Being capable and being good are two very different things," she said, stabbing her chopsticks at him for emphasis.

Neji smirked with amusement. "Is that so?"

"It's like comparing my taijutsu skills to Lee's."

"Point taken."

"Or cup ramen to Ichiraku Ramen."

Neji groaned. "You've been spending too much time with Naruto."

She shrugged indifferently. "Doesn't feel like it."

Neji blinked uncertainly. _It almost sounds like she is missing him. _That uncomfortable feeling was back, like someone was jabbing him sharply in the chest. Was it going to feel like this every time she talked about another man? It was irritating to be bombarded with doubt, but he wasn't a genius for nothing. The only solution was to stake irrefutable claim over her heart and to do that, he must win and keep her absolute trust.

Neji surreptitiously studied her from the corner of his eye. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard as he thought. Sorano was very relaxed in his company, a soft smile on her lips as she leisurely ate the meal Hinata prepared for them. He admired the natural grace she displayed in everything she did, always gentle like a summer breeze. It was easy to believe the woman incapable of hurting a fly, until she looked at you.

Sorano had world-worn eyes, the sort one found after the worst kind of missions. The cerulean blue iris was rimmed with a thick layer of black, creating the illusion of a deep bottomless abyss. She didn't need makeup to make them stand out and didn't wear any. The dark mysteries lingering in her eyes had long since captivated his attention, but when he looked close enough, long enough, a remnant of innocence remained.

A gentle breeze brushed at her fine white tresses and his fingers twitched with the need to free the length from its confining bun. He couldn't understand why she insisted on keeping it pulled back. It was exquisite, so fine and pure…but then, that may have been why. Sorano was intent on remaining as inconspicuous as possible despite the impossibility with her unique features.

"How often do you come up here," Sorano asked to break the silence and draw Neji's attention away from whatever he was contemplating. His frequent glances gave her the distinct impression he was plotting something.

"Not nearly often enough," he said. "It's peaceful, isn't it?"

"Yes," she murmured, then those deep ocean blues turned on him and he forgot to breathe for a moment. "Thank you for bringing me here, Neji."

His heart warmed with the sincerity in her eyes and the soft wistful way she said his name. "You're welcome."

She smiled and turned back to the view, no doubt memorizing the layout of the village with that remarkable memory of hers. While she considered Konoha, Neji packed up the basket and set it aside. With no more physical barriers between them, he subtly shifted closer until only a few inches separated them.

It was especially peaceful sitting there with _her_, isolated from everyone and everything. It was one of those moments when you could believe everything was perfect, everyone safe. He had learned to treasure those moments over the years. They were rare, perhaps even more so for Sorano and he didn't want to disturb her contemplative silence.

But as the minutes passed, Sorano started to fidget with her fingers in a very Hinata-like manner. Her thoughts had settled onto something severe and troubling.

Slowly and gently so as not to startle her, Neji grasped one of her hands and pulled it over to rest on his knee. His fingers curled loosely around hers and Sorano stared blankly at their hands, seeing and not seeing.

"Neji," she whispered hesitantly. "I did something…unforgivable."

He stilled beside her and she waited for him to drop her hand like a hot coal and pull away. And waited…and waited.

Neji never felt so many emotions flood through him so quickly. Ninja instinct kicked in, alarmed tension zipping through his chakra system and all that came with it, fear, excitement, dangerous anticipation… By the time he processed it all, he realized Sorano was still awaiting a response of some sort, some reassurance that what she had to say would be heard and not judged. With every passing second, he could feel her withdrawing back into her shell, her brittle trust crumbling before his eyes.

She was on the verge of pulling her hand away when he broke from his startled state and languidly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. She trembled at his touch and he didn't need Byakugan to see the volatile emotions she struggled with, the internal battle of stay or go.

_Stay, _he silently pleaded as he continued to stroke her soft skin.

The tender circles being drawn on her hand mesmerized her. He was supposed to withdraw his affection and demand answers, but he remained silent and gentle and gradually the fear began to subside into a tight knot beneath her heart.

Pulling her eyes away from their hands, she stared down at the village and tried to recover the faithless courage that so swiftly abandoned her. She wanted to say this, needed to say it before anything more happened between them. He cared for her. She knew that and though she could not tell him everything, he deserved to know at least this much about her.

"After…" she hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I wanted to die, but I believed I deserved to suffer for what I did, so I wandered aimlessly. I rarely ate, hardly slept…until I collapsed in a ditch in the Land of Wind and didn't get back up. That's where Raidon found me."

Neji's eyes narrowed sharply at the masculine name, but Sorano was too lost in memory to notice.

"He was a traveling merchant, but he carried me to the next town and rented a small cabin. He fed me, nursed me through the pain and madness. No one had ever taken care of me before… I told him things I never told anyone. Even then, he was kind and I started to think maybe I could survive this after all. Maybe there was another means of redemption."

She tilted her head up towards the sky. "One day he went out to the market to get supplies for a journey. He had been talking about returning to his village and he wanted me to go with him. I had been alone for so many years. I was terrified of the thought of being left behind, so I agreed. He was…the only friend I ever had." Neji felt his heart squeeze at the loneliness and sadness in her voice.

Sorano looked back down at the village with unseeing eyes. "He took too long returning that day and I got restless. I knew he kept scrolls in his pack to read at night when he thought I was sleeping so I thought to read one to occupy myself. What could be the harm since he was only a merchant?"

Sudden bitterness sharpened her voice.

"They were sealing scrolls and among them I found a missive stamped with the seal of Nogitarou Imari, the Daimyo of Earth Country. Raidon didn't save me because he was kind and he didn't care about me. He was a shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Rock, there on orders to retrieve me and return me to serve in my father's place."

Her words cut off sharply and Neji could feel her trying to control the surge of anger and hurt. Still, her hand remained limp beneath his and he continued to caress it with his thumb.

After several deep breaths, Sorano calmed down but she didn't dare look at him. "I didn't wait for him to come back to confront him. I just ran and never stopped."

Neji's mind churned with the unexpected revelation. There were still so many questions, so few answers, but the painful story of betrayal told him enough about the source of her insecurities and fears. He didn't dare ask her just how close she had become with this man. Her innate wariness spoke clearly enough that he had abused her trust when she was the most vulnerable, causing Sorano to believe intimacy of any sort equaled inevitable betrayal.

Raidon was a dead man if he ever found him.

Needing to distract himself from murderous thoughts, Neji tried to connect what she had just told him to what he already knew. There was a pattern here just within his grasp.

"That's when you started to suppress your chakra," he stated more than asked.

"He deceived me so easily," she said wearily. "I knew if they ever caught me they would find some way to manipulate me into doing what they wanted. The things I told him…" she shook her head sharply. "I decided they couldn't force me to do what I was physically incapable of doing."

Four years. Four years ago she started to suppress her chakra, right after Raidon's betrayal, right after committing her own unforgivable sin, something so dark she believed she deserved nothing less than death. _But things changed,_ Neji mused. _She changed._ "And Tsunade?" he asked.

"She was on her way back from a diplomatic mission when we crossed paths. I hadn't seen her since I was a child but she still recognized me." She pulled on a loose strand of white hair and stared at it ruefully. "Everyone always said I look like my father."

Neji couldn't help smirk at the exasperation in her voice.

"She invited me to visit Konoha, said it was unlike anything I had ever seen." She smiled then at the village. "She was right."

Neji stared at her with something akin to awe. A great burden seemed to have lifted from her shoulders as she spoke, freeing her from the darkness of the memory and Neji felt his heart warm with gratitude that she trusted him enough to share it, especially considering how betrayal was all she had ever known.

Lifting her hand to his lips, he tenderly kissed it. She looked up at him in surprise, eyes wide and questioning.

"Thank you," he said. _For trusting me._

Blue eyes softened at his sincerity. She had not expected his gratitude, but then, Neji always seemed to have a way of surpassing her expectations. He asked so little of her when it was within his power to take all he wanted. Perhaps this was why she was willing to take a chance on him.

His lips were soft against her skin, melting her insides into a mushy pile of longing. For some time now, he possessed the means to hurt her as Raidon had done. But Neji was different and she had known that since…

"The first day I met you," she said as she concentrated on their entwined hands. "I knew I wanted nothing to do with you."

Neji blinked in surprise and not a little hurt at this sudden admission.

Sorano looked up at him when he stilled, wide eyes meeting his own. Hesitantly, she reached up and brushed at a loose brown strand before letting her fingers rest against his temple.

"I knew these eyes could see everything I didn't want seen. I was afraid…" she drifted off, suddenly feeling very self-conscious with his moon-bright eyes staring straight into hers. But when she pulled away, he caught her hand and held it against his cheek.

"Is that why you avoided me?"

Sorano sighed in resignation. "Yes, but you were so damn persistent."

Neji smirked at her frustration. "I never turn away from a challenge."

"I've noticed." She glanced away and murmured softly, "Maybe that's a good thing."

His brow furrowed at the meaning hidden behind her words. Sorano was all about subtlety, thankfully his area of expertise. He was certain she was admitting, in her own evasive way, that she feared her past would discourage him. Obviously she had no idea he was in too deep to consider it. Besides, he was a Hyuuga and Hyuugas never backed down from a fight.

Her accurate perception of his sight surprised him, though. He never told her about the Byakugan's ability to read emotions. All the walls she had put up between them from the very start made perfect sense now. She certainly had led him on a merry chase and he couldn't help wonder what made her submit and accept the inevitability that he had become.

Despite this, there was still too much distance between them and her defensive walls were likely to be in repair by tomorrow. There had to be a way to keep that from happening.

"Sorano, do you trust me," he asked softly.

She pulled away, amusement dancing across her eyes. "That's a loaded question if I've ever heard one."

That's why he asked it.

He quirked an eyebrow but refused to back down. "Do you?"

Sighing softly, she hugged his arm and rested her head against his shoulder. She was beyond exhausted now. The lingering fatigue from the previous day coupled with the emotional strain of reliving unpleasant memories was taking its toll. "I'm working on it," she said.

Neji leaned his head against hers, surprised but pleased with her closeness.

"Are you still afraid?" he asked.

"Terrified," she whispered.

He winced. "Why?"

Sorano struggled against the fatigue, trying to process the question through muddled exhaustion, and said more than she intended too.

"You make me feel safe," she murmured, slipping into oblivion.

His heart twisted sharply at her words, joy that she felt safe in his presence, pain that she feared it, feared betrayal of the worst kind. Lifting his head, he looked down to find her eyes closed, her breathing soft and even. Smiling gently, he carefully freed his arm from her grasp and wrapped it around her shoulders. Leaning back, he pulled her limp body down with him so she could rest more comfortably on his chest.

Poor thing was all worn out. He had seen the lingering weariness in her eyes that morning and wondered how long it would be before she gave in. The emotional stress of sharing pieces of her past hadn't helped.

Pillowing his head on one arm, Neji stared up at the puffy clouds while his other hand trailed up Sorano's back to tug at the sticks holding her hair up. White silk tumbled free and his greedy fingers delved into the softness.

Too many thoughts swirled through his mind and he welcomed this moment to pull them together.

She still tensed when he touched her unexpectedly, but made a conscious effort to fight the reaction. He would be careful not to press her, especially knowing the reason behind her aversion to contact now. It was reassuring to know it wasn't him.

Well, her comment about not wanting anything to do with him scared him a bit, but her honesty was more than he could ask for. More of the pieces fit into place, the picture becoming clearer, but the empty spaces now appeared darker and more sinister than before.

The weight of a grave sin wore on her conscience, convincing her she was unworthy of caring for anyone, unworthy of life even. It explained her lack of fear of pain and death at least. There was something in her eyes that reminded him of Sasuke, a suffocating loss that words could never nullify. Was this the catalyst of her pain or the end result?

If he continued to dwell on it, he would only drive himself crazy. Sorano would tell him when she was ready and he would wait. She was worth waiting for.

He contentedly played with her hair, enjoying the feel of her softness curled up against him. It still irked him that she had freely kissed the Uchiha, but it was possible she felt comfortable enough to do so because only friendship existed between them. It wasn't the Uchiha she went to when she was scared or in need of comfort, and it wasn't the Uchiha who held her guarded confidence.

All in all, he was satisfied with the way the day had turned out so far. Sorano was no longer trying to push him away, no longer denying the attraction between them and if she tried to after this, he wouldn't let her.

Neji pulled her closer and kissed her softly on her snowy head. _I will never let you go._

* * *

To my kawaii readers:

**La-** Sorano took the day off from all forms of work under medical orders from Sakura. Well, more like she was forced into it by Sakura and Neji. Sasuke received the bruise from a random shinobi, thus the reason he only had the one bruise and not a whole ton of them. After the minor altercation he decided it best to continue his training at home to avoid everyone who was upset with him for what happened to Sorano. Normally Sasuke wouldn't care what other people thought or hesitate to beat the crap out of a brazen upstart, but because he was feeling guilty and responsible for Sorano's injury, he felt he deserved the hit. Sasuke will address Sorano's issue with weapons in chapter 27.

**SailorElfGirl-** I don't know, I think you explained it in words pretty well. (grins) Emotions fascinate me, which is why I'm a "character writer". My characters move the plot, not the other way around though my stories usually do have an intricate plot. All in all, I'm always more interested in _why_ the characters are doing something than _how_ they do it because the _how_ is dependant on the _why_. I'm happy you are enjoying my style of writing.

**Just One-** I found it interesting that you picked up on the fact that working in the library has given Sorano a chance to learn more about Konoha and its clans including the Hyuuga. At this point in the story's timeline, Sorano has seen Neji's cursed seal and done research about it though I don't bring this up until later in the story when it becomes important. Neji was not wearing his hitai-ate the night Sorano came to him for comfort in the Daimyo's palace and though she never said anything about it, she did notice the seal. Honestly, who would wear their hitai-ate to bed anyway? So yes, she does know a whole lot more than it appears.

Now to address your questions: To ease your mind, there will be no love triangle. The reason Sasuke keeps comparing Sorano to Sakura is because Sakura is the only strong female presence in his life. It is very common and logical to compare things that confuse or unsettle us with something that is already familiar in order to understand it. Sasuke cares about Sorano but he doesn't exactly know why, thus the comparisons to Sakura in an effort to understand what it is about Sorano that draws him to her.

Sorano's relationship with Itachi is actually very minor. She encountered him by accident when she was thirteen and she witnessed him "in action" as it were. Needlessly to say it had been very traumatizing. The only reason Itachi didn't kill her too was because she was just a scrap of a girl entirely beneath his notice at the time. This one brief meeting with Itachi enables her to empathize completely with Sasuke because she knows now the sort of man Sasuke must kill to avenge his family.

**So many** wonderful reviews! Thank you everyone. (waves at Chibi Shadow Readers) You guys too. Wait! Don't go! There's more fluff coming up!


	26. The Insignificant

A/N- Finally Neji and Sorano's day out draws to a close. Enjoy the fluff while it lasts!

Disclaimer: (shakes coin jar) Nope. Still not enough to buy Naruto.

**The Insignificant**

**Chapter 26**

Due to her restless nature and constant wanderings, Sorano frequently woke up to confusion, needing a few moments to place her whereabouts. The first thing she noticed was that she was cuddled up to something warm and strong. Instantly the confusion gave way to an overwhelming sense of security and she knew exactly who she was with without ever opening her eyes.

They had been sitting above the monument and she had managed to fall asleep against Neji's shoulder, something she never believed herself capable of doing. It was frightening how lax she had become in his presence, her carefully constructed guard slipping so easily with a mere touch or a glance of those quicksilver eyes. And don't even get her started on that deep, penetrating, purely masculine voice.

Somehow, she had worked her way onto his chest, but she had a niggling suspicion she couldn't take all the credit for that. His fingers were currently trailing through her loose hair and she felt herself sinking back towards lazy slumber with the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear.

"You have developed a habit of falling asleep on me," his voice rumbled softly with undisguised amusement.

Sorano snuggled into his chest and breathed deeply of his fresh, clean, earthy scent. "Your fault for being so comfortable."

His answering chuckle shook them both and Sorano smiled. Twisting slightly, she folded her hands on his chest and propped her chin on them, both ignoring and enjoying the fact that she was basically draped over his body like a contented cat. She sure felt like one.

His pearlescent eyes radiated amusement and a smug little smile curled his lips while his fingers continued to play with her hair.

"How long was I asleep," she asked after a moment.

"Two hours, give or take."

Sorano blinked in surprise. "Why did you let me sleep so long?"

"You needed it," he said.

"But, surely you had something better to do than..."

Neji shrugged and tilted his head back to look at the sky. "I think I know why Shikamaru likes to watch clouds so much, now."

Sorano wasn't sure what to make of that, but then she suspected Neji wasn't in the habit of lazing about and just relaxing. It was his matter-of-fact acceptance of it that amazed her. He honestly didn't care that he had just spent the last two hours as her pillow. In fact, he seemed to have enjoyed it. She certainly had given him a lot to think about while she slept.

She would never know what possessed her to tell him about Raidon. She tried so very hard not to think of the man, but ever since the mission, he kept popping into her thoughts, disturbing her nights, and making her over-conscious of human contact.

She had spoken the truth all those nights ago when she told Neji that she could still walk away from this albeit with great difficulty. Despite the fondness she had for them all, she still expected betrayal. Loyalty was something she had never experienced before, never expected from anyone no matter how her heart felt. She had learned to disregard its pain and pleasure a great many years ago.

But when Neji looked at her as he was doing now, she felt something within her break. The child who still longed for recognition, the warrior who still longed for forgiveness, the woman who still longed for love, would no longer remain silent.

So she told him, and he kissed her hand and held her close, saying in his own silent way that every thing was going to be all right. He didn't ask what evil she had committed or how deep her feelings for Raidon had been. It made her heart hope just a little bit more and she felt brave enough to take another chance, another risk.

Her body moved on its own accord and she felt his hand slip from her hair down to the small of her back when she pushed herself up on his chest and leaned forward. He watched her silently with bright, curious eyes and she almost smiled at how childish he looked then, at once hopeful and suspicious.

Hesitantly, she placed a soft, lingering kiss on the corner of his mouth and felt him still beneath her. Butterflies erupted in her stomach and she pulled back slightly to meet his gaze, apprehensive of his reaction. His stoic features were carefully schooled like a beautiful ice sculpture, but fire simmered in his eyes, frightening in its intensity.

Slowly his hand began to move along her back, trailing feather soft up and down along her spine while he studied her for the true nature of her emotions.

"What was that for?" He asked quietly. It hadn't been a lover's kiss, but it had possessed a good deal more than the one she had given Sasuke.

The wariness in her eyes faded and she smiled a true genuine smile. "You have never treated me like I am broken."

His eyes softened at her insecurity. "You're stronger than you think, Sorano. Anyone who can handle Lee, Sasuke, **and** Naruto is never to be underestimated."

She laughed and laid her head on his chest. "I must be slightly insane or masochistic. Maybe both."

Neji chuckled as he languidly stroked her back. "I'm not going to argue with that."

Her retort was a sharp poke in the stomach that instantly made him release her with a grunt. Sorano sat up and smirked at his disgruntled scowl as he rubbed the offending injury.

"Like I said, too much time with Sakura," he groused but was pleased with the amusement in her eyes, even if it was at his expense. Her defensive walls were slipping back into place, but he noticed it wasn't as swiftly as it should have been. The woman sitting beside him now was vastly different from the woman he had greeted this morning.

She had confided details of her past and initiated contact several times, not to mention the kiss that was going to keep him up nights until he could claim a proper one. Some of the darkness in her eyes had receded and he wondered if she would still flinch from his touch after today. Perhaps the change he imagined was only in his own perception of her.

He had known from the first day he met her that she was damaged, though he didn't know to what extent. Maybe this was what he admired so much about her. Sorano did not submit to the hand fate dealt her. Her spirit was simply too strong to admit defeat.

"I didn't realize we were up here so long," her soft voice pulled him from his thoughts and he sat up to see the sun was beginning its descent. Their day together was coming to an end and disappointment surged through him. He wanted more time, needed more time, fearing that tomorrow might not be any different than the days before.

"Can we take the stairs this time," Sorano turned to him, eyes smiling, and he felt his heart do a funny little flip, relieved that she was reluctant to end the day as well. "I've never seen the monument up close."

"Sure," he agreed. He quickly gathered up the blanket and basket while she stood and stretched the kinks from her back. A swift breeze tangled in her hair and she reflexively brushed it back, a frown creasing her brow. With carefully concealed amusement, he watched her glance around the area they had claimed, one hand holding back her obstinate hair.

"Neji, have you seen my hair sticks?" she asked in confusion, not remembering having removed them in the first place.

He only looked at her blankly. "Are they irreplaceable?" he asked.

"No, but," she brushed at her delinquent hair again. "Oh well," she sighed and turned away in time to miss the smirk that flashed across his face.

He followed her to the path leading down the face of the monument, carefully tucking the small sticks into the basket where they would remain unnoticed. Her hair was beautiful unbound, end of story.

The descent took them longer than anticipated, but neither seemed to mind. Sorano stopped a few times to ask questions about the Hokages and laughed without restraint when he told her about Naruto's display of artistry back when he was still in the Academy.

Halfway down she was struck silent by the brilliance of the sunset and pressed eagerly against the railing like a child hoping to be able to walk into it. Neji found himself watching her more than the sunset and was drawn inevitably towards her. Carefully grasping the railing on either side of her, he stood just barely brushing her back, surprised and relieved that she did not flinch or recoil. It was almost like she didn't notice him at all and just when he was beginning to believe that, she looked over her shoulder at him and smiled so brilliantly his heart froze in place.

"Have you ever seen the sun set over the Land of Water?" she asked, eyes dancing.

Neji valiantly suppressed the urge to kiss her senseless and forced out a reply despite his sudden lack of oxygen. "No."

Turning back to the view, she tucked a bit of hair back that continually blew across her face in the evening breeze. "When the colors reflect across the water," she said with fond memory, "the sky seems twice as big and you feel twice as small."

He could imagine what that must feel like. The only thing that had ever made him feel insignificant was the cursed seal branded upon his forehead and it was anything but beautiful.

"And when it's gone," she continued, pulling him away from his dark thoughts, "You feel blessed for having seen it." She turned to him then in the circle of his arms. "Have you ever experienced that?"

Staring down into her wide, cerulean eyes, he felt himself fall further into the abyss of his own heart. "Yes," he whispered.

The fire was back in his eyes, burning as brightly as the dying sun behind her and that single breathless whisper penetrated every nerve in her body. She felt weak and strong, hot and cold, fear and joy all in one single moment. But when he kissed her…all was still and silent.

His lips were tender, hesitant, and infinitely sweet. There was so much he was holding back from her and she felt him tremble when she reached up as if to push him away, only to rest her hand lightly over his pounding heart. This small gesture of acceptance eased all of his fears that he had acted too soon, but he refrained from pressing her further. His hands remained firm on the railing, knowing to touch her would be his undoing and he could not risk scaring her, no matter the strength of his own desire.

He had been waiting all day for this and savored the softness of her lips for a lingering moment before pulling away. When she opened her eyes to meet his, he saw only slight trepidation amongst the calm and the faintest of blushes dusting her cheeks.

Knowing what his own eyes must be revealing just then, he leaned his forehead against hers and took a moment to rein his emotions in.

"I bet you say that to all the girls," she said after a few minutes and he almost choked on his laughter, feeling slightly hysteric from euphoria.

A sweet, calm smile was in her eyes and on her lips when he finally stepped back from her. One could hardly guess that she had been kissed just minutes before, but there was a softness in her expression he did not miss.

_Did she ever look that way at Raidon?_ The thought no sooner crossed his mind and his brows creased in agitation.

Sorano felt a pang of worry strike her when she saw the change. "What is it?"

Neji quickly smoothed his expression. "We should hurry if we want to reach the bottom before we lose the light."

Deciding to let it slide, she nodded agreement, suddenly grinning in a manner that made him raise a suspicious brow.

"Last one to the bottom buys dinner," she said and she bolted past him.

"Hey!" he yelled after her but she refused to stop, knowing she needed the lead she had stolen if she honestly wanted to beat him. It felt good to be in motion again, the pleasant nap on her human pillow having refreshed her latent energy. She was still huffing a bit when she reached the bottom, but in her defense, it was a heck of a lot of stairs.

Pausing to catch her breath, she turned around to see how far behind Neji was, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Took you long enough," his voice spoke behind her and she whipped around to see him leaning against a fence, arms crossed and looking arrogantly bored. Sorano frowned, trying to figure out when he could have passed her. She hadn't even heard him getting close…

"Hey, that's cheating!" she said, pointing an accusing finger at the smug Hyuuga.

"You never said I couldn't use a transportation jutsu," he said with a smirk.

Sorano very nearly smacked herself in the head. _Clarification, moron_.

He chuckled at her irritated glare, knowing she was more irritated with herself than him because of her miscalculation. No matter, he had no intention of letting her pay for dinner anyway. He just liked to win.

"So how much money do you have to spend on me," he said, unable to resist the opportunity to tease her.

"Enough," she said as she fell in step beside him. "As long as you don't eat like Naruto."

"I'm sure we can work something out," he said haughtily and Sorano merely groaned.

They settled on a quiet little restaurant and talked about places they had been, beauty they had seen. Sorano was indeed wide-traveled and he enjoyed her perspective on life and nature. She had a childish enthusiasm that fascinated him. There was so much darkness in her life and yet she vividly remembered the vibrant colors of the trees in autumn in the Land of Bears, the exhilaration of standing in a blizzard in the heart of Snow Country, and the freedom of standing all alone in the expanse of the wilderness in the Land of Wind.

He decided she had much time for contemplation on her travels with no pressing need to be anywhere and it had strongly shaped her perspective. Sorano had a great respect for life from the least to the great, but it was haunted by a darker secret, one he didn't dare to touch.

They argued over the check, though disagree would be a better word for it. Sorano was not a confrontational person but she was stubborn and insisted that it was only fair for her to pay since she did loose the race. Her protests were silenced with a firm, no-nonsense, Hyuuga glare and she sulked all the way back to her apartment.

Her petulance amused him, but he was not about to let the day end with them at odds even over the smallest thing. He waited patiently for her to unlock her door but before she could disappear inside, he pulled her to him and kissed her tenderly on the cheek.

"Good night, Sorano," he said and she blinked up at him for a moment before a sweet smile brushed away all signs of annoyance.

Good night, Neji."

* * *

To my cute readers:

**La-** (blinks) That's a lot of questions. Um, let's see now. Timeline wise, it has been only two weeks since Sorano and the others returned to Konoha from the Daimyo's palace. Keep in mind the people who are after her are from Earth Country which is way up north, so it's going to take a little while for them to get down to Konoha. No, Sorano has not shown Sasuke the technique she showed Lee. She wants to increase her chakra control and stamina before putting it to full use as you will see soon enough.

Your concept of Sorano's use of twin swords is interesting, but not the one I decided to go with. Incidentally, while Sorano is very handy with a blade, she doesn't channel any ninjutsu through them. That technique has already been used in the anime and I don't want to imitate it. The blades are more of an accessory to her technique that she can make do without but is considerably more deadly with. Naruto will be back in the next chapter. There will be no visit from Suna since I don't know how to work it into the plot without making it look contrived and no, Sorano has never been to Suna. Konoha is the only Hidden Village she has ever been to as it was extremely important for her to avoid shinobi, never knowing if they had been hired by her enemy or not. There, I think I got all your questions.

Well, the fluff overdose must end here. Everybody ready for some thicker plot work? Good. Please keep all arms and feet inside the cart at all times. It might be a slow climb, but it's going to be a wild drop on the other side. (buckles chibi shadow readers in)


	27. Awakening

A/N- No more hiding for Sorano.

Standard Disclaimer Applies.

**Awakening**

**Chapter 27**

Sasuke watched as she walked across the field towards him. No one with an ounce of shinobi training could disregard the ease with which she moved. The woman didn't glide; she flowed. She was liquid in motion, every muscle fluid, sleek, and lethal, built for speed more so than strength.

The first time he saw her, it was this unearthly grace that told him she was more than she seemed. After seeing her skill and speed first hand, he knew now what this woman was born to do.

Sorano was meant to be an assassin.

She smiled then and the image of deadly beauty shattered. She looked happy, calm and at ease. Something had changed within her from the time he saw her yesterday until now and he felt a sharp pang of regret because he was about destroy that hard earned serenity.

For certain he was the only one truly aware of what lay dormant behind that sweet smile. It had kept him up most of the night and a part of him warned against what he was about to do, but he hardened himself against the unease, knowing it would only hinder him if he wanted to salvage what was left of her mind. Today the façade would shatter and the darkness that slumbered would awaken.

Sorano stopped a few feet from where he reclined against the tree. "Why here?" she asked with anticipated curiosity.

They usually sparred away from the distraction of observers aside from Anbu who occasionally watched from a respectful distance. They were very interested in Sorano's progress.

But today he asked her to meet him at the training grounds, though he did select a portion separate from everyone else. Maybe a part of him wanted others to see her unbroken faith in his abilities as a partner and instructor, but largely he intended to address a weighty and dangerous matter.

"We aren't sparring today," he said and she tilted her head in confusion.

"Okay…"

He tossed a small pack to her and she reflexively caught it. Turning the pouch over in her hands, the blood drained from her face.

"Sasuke…"

"Target practice," he said as he stood. Taking the kunai pouch from her uncertain grasp, he kneeled to strap it to her right thigh.

"Your eyes changed yesterday when you caught that kunai." Having made the pouch secure, he stood to look down at her. Her face was almost as pale as her hair, but her eyes were hard and unforgiving.

"I don't know where you went in here," he tapped her forehead gently, "but if you go there again in the midst of battle, it will cost you your life or that of a comrade."

She winced and he knew his words had struck a nerve. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her towards a target post and planted her a fair distance from it.

"Control the darkness or it will control you," he said.

Sorano swallowed harshly. "How?"

Sasuke's expression remained impassive though he felt reassured by the fact that she was not flinching away from this. "Your only focus, your only target is the post. Never look away from it. When you use up all of your kunai, retrieve them and start again."

Her eyes narrowed on the target, an unwelcome chill slithering up her spine. "For how long?"

"Until you remember where you are," he said and she looked up sharply at him. Something in his eyes told her he knew exactly what he was asking of her, that he had once asked it of himself.

"And what if I don't remember," she challenged him. There was a great possibility she could lose herself to madness if she opened herself up as completely as he was asking her to.

Understanding softened his eyes for the briefest of moments. "Then I will stop you and we will start again tomorrow."

_I hope your faith is not misplaced_, she thought as she turned back to look at the target. It was an innocuous piece of wood, standing about four feet from the ground with a red target circle painted on it. There were many chips from previous attacks and she absently wondered how many kunai and shuriken had been lost in the trees beyond it. Such silly thoughts comforted her just enough for her to unsnap the kunai pouch.

The moment her fingers grazed cold metal, she felt the change overtake her. Everything slowed down, became clearer, details once obscure now brilliant to her sight. She could feel each pound of her heart, the heat of blood flowing steadily through her veins. The soft call of a bird sounded to the right and she could separate each cadence, each meaning in its shrill cry.

But her eyes remained on the target, a dark commanding voice deep within telling her to not look elsewhere.

Drawing a kunai free, she absently swung it around her finger, enjoying the sleek feel of the metal, the near-perfect balance of the weapon. It settled so comfortably into her hand, like a long forgotten appendage miraculously returned and she knew exactly what she wanted to do with it.

Sasuke kept his distance, just out of the range of her peripheral vision. The change was even more intense than before for she did not fight it this time. There was no blue left in her eyes, only a brilliant, predatory gold, the pupil slit once more. She had avian eyes, feral and sharp. He wondered how they affected her vision. Naruto could see in near complete darkness at times and with an ability to follow rapid movement akin to the Sharingan's own.

Her eyes remained on the target as she spun a kunai in her hand with great familiarity, testing its balance and form before flinging it with a quick jerk of the wrist.

For as many years as she had avoided touching a blade, Sasuke couldn't help notice that her aim had not suffered in the least. In rapid succession, she flung her kunai, riddling the center of the post in an almost lazy manner until her pouch was empty. Finding herself empty handed, she frowned slightly and approached the post to retrieve her weapons. Once they were all tucked safely back into her pouch, she returned to her spot and without pausing, spun on her heal and began hurtling the small blades with a ferocity that had been previously absent.

This continued for hours and she showed no sign of giving, no sign of even recognizing anything outside of herself, her kunai, and the target. If anything, the aura of anger and hate threading her chakra became stronger.

Sasuke wondered whose face she saw, what memory she tried so desperately to defeat, and how long it would take her to do so. It was already getting dark and she still showed no sign of change. He would admit he had hoped it would be easier, but then, it had never been easy for him. Why should she be any different?

Just when he stood up from where he watched, he felt a presence rapidly approaching. No one had dared to come near them and the few that had considered were sent away by his patented glare. Of course, there were a few who chose to ignore said glare and Naruto was one of them.

The blonde must have freshly returned from his mission, not having even bothered to change from his Anbu uniform aside from pushing his mask up onto his unmanageable hair. Naruto's usual happy grin was absent and Sasuke grimaced in anticipation of the beating and/or lecture he was about to get about neglecting Sorano's health. He was seriously too tired to deal with it.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto yelled by way of greeting and Sasuke felt the instant charge in the atmosphere.

Sorano turned sharply on her heal towards the rambunctious voice and Sasuke reacted on instinct with a speed that surprised even himself. He hit her hard and fast and slammed her into the ground, her breath harshly ripped from her body. Before she could recover, he wrestled the kunai from her hand and pinned her wrists.

He heard Naruto growl a string of curses at him but he blocked him out, holding Sorano's wild gaze and tightening his grip until it was nearly bruising.

She blinked at him while she gasped for breath, the colors in her eyes fluctuating wildly until the gold began to fade and her pupils rounded and became human once more.

"Did I—," she managed and he shook his head.

"No," he assured her, knowing what she feared. Relief flooded her features and she closed her eyes and slumped beneath him.

"I don't think…this is going to work," she panted.

Sasuke released her wrists and sat up, still straddling her hips, but not touching her. "It will," he said with confidence. She was too strong to give up or give in. He knew she could do this.

She nodded silent acknowledgement of his confidence and he finally looked up to meet Naruto's startled gaze. Shaking his head once, he saw understanding settle in the blonde's eyes and a calm, pleasant façade smoothed over his features.

"Practicing a bit late, aren't you?" Naruto said as he tucked his hands in his pockets.

Sorano opened her eyes at his voice and turned her head towards him. "Hey, Naruto," she said and then frowned. "I didn't know you were in Anbu."

Naruto laughed and scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah, well, it never came up."

Cerulean blue eyes turned suspiciously to the man still crouched over her. "You too?" she asked and Sasuke smirked.

"It never came up," he echoed Naruto's words and Sorano rolled her eyes.

"How convenient," she muttered. "Now help me up."

Each man grabbed a hand and pulled her to her feet. She swayed slightly before catching her balance, feeling a little out of sorts from the experience. Neither man let go until they were certain she was steady.

"When did it get so dark," she murmured as she looked up at the sky.

"I know what you mean," Naruto smiled at her. "I often loose sense of time when I'm training."

In his company, Sorano felt some warmth return to her. "Did you just get back?"

"Yeah," he folded his arms behind his head. "Man I miss my bed!"

Sorano laughed softly. "I'm sure you do." Feeling a soft tug on her leg, she looked down to see Sasuke removing the kunai pouch. With great relief, she realized she had forgotten it was even there.

"We will try again tomorrow," he told her as he stood and she was glad he didn't expect her to keep hold of the blades.

"All right," she agreed. She trusted him in this, needed too, if she was ever going to succeed.

By unspoken agreement, both men walked her home. Naruto held her attention with little anecdotes about his mission, mostly embarrassing details about his teammates that won a smile or two from the unnaturally somber woman.

She was far from at ease, Sasuke could tell. Her fingers kept twitching against her leg in search of a weapon, but her mind was wholly her own. She might have trouble sleeping tonight, but he was confident that she wouldn't go psycho. They wished her a good night at her door and then retired to Naruto's apartment above.

"Start talking," Naruto said as soon as they were alone.

"Did you see it?" Sasuke asked as he brushed past his friend and rival to make some tea. He was in need of some calming himself. Somehow he couldn't shake the impression that Naruto would have suffered serious injury if he hadn't pounced on Sorano when he did. There was still much about her technique he didn't know and he yet had to see the speed that Lee declared to exceed his own.

"I thought I was just seeing things," Naruto frowned as he tossed his mask onto the table and started to remove pieces of his uniform.

"You weren't," Sasuke said.

Finally down to just his shirt and pants, Naruto plopped down in a chair and ran a hand through his wild waves. "She didn't even know who I was, did she."

Sasuke filled two mugs and handed one to Naruto who took it absently, still mulling over in his mind what had occurred shortly before. Leaning back against the counter, Sasuke frowned down at his own tea.

"We need to keep this quiet," he said and looked up to meet Naruto's sharp gaze. "As long as she stays away from weapons she's sane and she knows it. They act like a trigger switch for some repressed part of her. That's why she always avoids them."

"And if she gets her hands on one by accident?"

Sasuke's gaze flickered away from his. They both knew what could happen. "She can get a handle on this," Sasuke said firmly. "She just needs some time."

Naruto frowned. "Do you think Granny Tsunade knows?"

Dark brows drew together. He hadn't considered that. "It's possible. She knows Sorano best."

"We need to tell her, just to be sure. She might have an idea of how we can help."

"All right."

"And we should tell Neji and Lee."

Sasuke scowled. "Why?"

Naruto smirked at Sasuke's possessiveness over their snowy-haired friend. "Who does Sorano spend all of her time with besides you and me?"

Sasuke's scowl deepened. He _really_ hated it when the idiot was right and for an idiot, he seemed to know exactly what to do this time around.

"Fine. But the sooner, the better."

* * *

To my (insert complementary adjective) readers:

**La-** Oh don't be mistaken, Sorano did put up a pretty good argument against Neji paying, but considering that she doesn't like conflict to begin with and Neji makes a whole lot more money than she does, she really didn't have much of a will to fight against the Hyuuga glare over something so petty as paying for dinner. But don't worry. Sorano will turn the tails on tradition eventually.

**Also** thanks to **Bellaria, destiny-penguin, TeenAnimeLover, ValiantToasters, xtraenergy266, Darkangelsdevil, Spazzed108, FoxLuvr, loveableM, Valinor's Twilight, runjumpfly07, SailorElfGirl, Savvy0X, and Satta Kurosama** for your wonderfully encouraging reviews.


	28. Battle Within

A/N- To avoid confusion, the beginning of this chapter takes place just an hour after the last one ended with Naruto and Sasuke's conversation.

Enjoy!

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

**Battle Within**

**Chapter 28**

Tsunade studied the four men before her with open suspicion. She expected trouble whenever Naruto was involved, but when you threw Sasuke, Lee, and Neji into the mix it could only mean one thing.

"What did she do now?"

Sasuke just barely managed to suppress a smirk.

Lee helplessly shrugged his shoulders. "Naruto-kun asked us to come. He said it was of the utmost importance."

Neji remained in silent agreement but he too had a suspicion about who this might involve.

"Um, how to say this," Naruto scratched his head. "You see Sorano is… um, Sorano has… no wait, um Sorano…"

Tsunade leaned back in her chair with obvious amusement. "At least I know it's about Sorano."

"I started her on target practice with kunai today," Sasuke finally said. If he and Naruto had any doubt about Tsunade's awareness of Sorano's instability, it was wiped away in an instant with the widening of her eyes.

"What?" she hissed.

Lee and Neji shared similar shock but for a different reason.

"Sorano-san allowed this?" Lee asked. "But she has always adamantly avoided weapons of any sort."

"Did she hurt anyone?" Tsunade demanded and all eyes snapped back to her grim and knowing expression.

"No," Sasuke said. "She remained focused on the target until Naruto came and drew her attention."

Naruto laughed nervously. "Heh, yeah, well, I didn't know she was going to attack me."

"She attacked you?" Neji and Lee asked in shock.

Sasuke rolled his eyes while Naruto waved his hands in front of him. "No, no, I mean she was going to but Sasuke stopped her." His hands fell. "I don't think she even knew who I was."

Tsunade dropped her head in her hands and rubbed at her temples. "What **ever** possessed you to attempt such a supremely stupid thing," she growled.

"She can beat it," Sasuke said, ignoring the insult, "and she wants too."

Angry, amber eyes met his own. "You have no idea what you are messing with, Uchiha."

"Then tell us," he snapped back. "You want her to serve our village, you want her to start over and be whole again, then stop keeping us in the dark!"

"It's not that simple," she said.

"Were you ever intending on telling us that she's a loose cannon?" he demanded.

"No more than you are," Tsunade snapped back and that gave them all pause.

Sighing out her frustration, the Hokage turned her chair to look out the window. "Why now," she asked. "Why did you decide to test her on this now?"

Neji made the connection instantly. "Yesterday, when she went to speak to you, she caught that kunai you threw…" he met Sasuke's dark gaze and understanding passed between them.

"Her eyes changed," Tsunade surmised and glanced at Sasuke who nodded once.

Lee shifted uneasily. "Were they gold, like an eagle's?"

"You've seen it?" Naruto asked.

Lee nodded. "When she showed me her technique."

"She showed you?" Tsunade asked in surprise.

"Yes. She wanted my opinion on how best to utilize taijutsu with her family's technique. Her eyes changed for a moment but she was entirely of her own mind."

"Blades trigger intense memories," Tsunade said. "She looses herself to the past." Her hard eyes shifted to Sasuke. "You really think you can break her of it?"

"Given time, yes. Her will is strong."

"Do it," she ordered then turned to Neji. "Until then I want a two man Anbu tag on her at all times, night and day. If she is _ever_ seen with a weapon in her hand when not training with Sasuke, she is to be apprehended immediately at all costs."

Neji blinked at her in surprise. "She's that dangerous?"

Tsunade grimaced. "She is the death you never see coming."

* * *

Sorano woke with the distinct impression that she was being watched but when she opened her eyes, the apartment was brightly lit with the morning sun and she was very much alone. Shrugging it off as an unpleasant side affect of the previous day's activities, she set about her morning routine but the feeling did not fade. In fact, it grew stronger as the day wore on.

For starters, Lee had a speculative look in his eyes that even his eye-blistering smile could not hide. She decided he was working on a new technique to try on her. Work at the library was pleasantly soothing now that most of the dust had been cleared away. Even then she felt eyes upon her, but every time she turned around, there was no one nearby.

She met Hinata and Sakura for lunch at their usual spot and she chalked her unease up to the busy flow of patrons in and out of the café. Since Hinata had the morning shift at the hospital, she offered her services in the library for the afternoon and they wiled away the time talking and working on the catalogue. The unseen eyes remained.

By the time evening rolled around and she was to meet Sasuke once more at the training grounds, Sorano was seriously annoyed.

"Someone has been following me all day," she said as soon as she stopped in front of him. Obsidian eyes blinked at her and she felt her eye twitch. "Would you happen to know anything about it?"

"Anbu," he said and she didn't know if she was more surprised by the answer or the fact that he offered it.

"Why?" she asked in confusion.

Sasuke studied her for a moment. "You know why."

Her brows creased slightly and then smoothed out in comprehension. "Oh," she said. "Tsunade?"

He nodded once and to his complete surprise, she smiled in relief. "Good."

_She took it better than I thought._ He had expected anger, frustration, even hurt, but he should have known she trusted herself even less than they did. Sorano was hyperaware of the imbalance of her own mind and had taken all precautions to circumvent the danger she presented. He was counting on this deep-seated desire to protect others from herself to maintain her sanity until the darkness inside of her yielded to her conscious mind.

"Someone should have told me sooner. Do you have any idea how irritating it is to know you are being watched and not why or by who?"

His lips twitched slightly in amusement. "I've had some experience with it."

Sorano shook her head and fixed him with a determined gaze. "Let's do this."

They developed an unspoken agreement about the process. Sasuke always strapped the kunai pouch on for her and removed it after she was done and once more in her own mind. She didn't want to take unnecessary chances on hurting him or anyone else and the entire ordeal agitated her nerves until she became little more than a fidgeting, twitching mess.

She learned to ignore the unseen eyes that followed her everywhere through the village. Unlike the first day she noticed, they made her feel safe. It was comforting to know someone was nearby to stop her if she lost control…if they _could_ stop her. She tried not to dwell on that possibility too much, telling herself Tsunade knew her well enough to have taken the proper precautions.

With her suddenly tight and nerve-wracking schedule, Sorano found no time to spend with Neji outside of passing him on the street or when he watched her from the shadows, taking his turn as her Anbu guard. She wondered if Sasuke and Naruto took turns as well.

After a few days her restless agitation began to give way to exhaustion and several times she told Sasuke that she felt things were getting worse instead of better. The time she spent impaling a post with kunai was the only time of the day that she could not recall. For someone with an eidetic memory, it was very disconcerting.

Sasuke had looked at her strangely the first time she told him that from the moment she threw her first kunai to when he tackled her to the ground (his favorite means of breaking her out of it) she had no memory. It was as if she blacked out and someone else took over. Eventually she learned to interpret that look of his into curious concern. That was when he told her of the changes he had noticed.

There was less fury in her movements. When he told her that, she understood why she always felt so drained afterwards. All of her pent up rage and hatred was coming to the fore and being spent in the few hours she spent on that field. At this rate, it would take her years to come to her senses.

He only smirked at that, a knowing glint in his fathomless eyes.

On the eighth day of her new regimen, Neji and Hinata showed up at her door to drag her out for dinner at Ichiraku Ramen where they, of course, met up with Naruto.

"You're working yourself too hard," the timid heiress said with obvious concern.

"I know," Sorano said and left it at that. She just wanted to forget her internal battle for a little while and her friends were happy to provide her with the necessary distraction.

"Are you sleeping well," Neji asked once Hinata's attention was turned back to the blonde devouring noodles at an astonishing rate.

"No, why? Are you willing to be my pillow again?" Sleep deprivation did wonders to loosen the tongue and Neji smirked when it dawned on her what she had just said.

Sorano grimaced and dropped her face into her hand. "I can't believe I just said that," she muttered.

"I think I like you like this," he chuckled and she shot him a half-glare, to tired to put any real heat into it.

"Maybe you should get something from Tsunade," he suggested in sincerity. "You're going to get sick if you keep going like this."

Sorano shook her head. "Sleep remedies don't suppress the nightmares." Weariness was drawn into every line of her face and a part of him wanted her to end this madness, but he knew she couldn't. There was no moving on until she defeated her demons. Neji could only offer his comfort and support.

Without having the opportunity to pick up where they left off the day they picnicked on the monument, he was uncertain of how she would react to his touch, if the walls had been fixed back in place in his absence. So he took a gamble and gently brushed his hand against her back.

Her reaction was instantaneously and he almost lost his balance on his stool when she slumped against him with a tired little whimper. He quickly wrapped his arm around her so that she wouldn't fall off.

"Screw it," she muttered into his shirt. "I miss my pillow."

Neji chuckled softly and kissed her snowy crown. "It'll get better."

"Gah, what is it with you people and your optimism," she grumbled.

"Just keeping you balanced," he said.

She huffed and muttered something indignant that he didn't even try to decipher. Her frustration was becoming very obvious and even some of her Anbu shadow guards had expressed concern for her continued health. She had quite the fan club among his comrades and subordinates.

The first time he watched her train with Sasuke chilled him to the core. He had always suspected she could be dangerous since her skill was still largely unknown, but seeing those feral eyes, knowing she was lost inside her own mind, _scared_ him. There was nothing he could do but watch from a distance and hope that Sasuke's methods prevailed and if there was anything Neji loathed, it was feeling helpless.

There was so much anger and pained hatred behind every movement and he wondered how she had survived so long with it festering inside. Neji knew what that could do to a person, had experienced it himself, had vented it on his own cousin in the chunin exams because he had no other target before him. Sorano was no different.

But her ferocity was edging away, burning itself out little by little and only then did he begin to see the intent behind Sasuke's methods. If anyone knew how to expend excess rage, it was Uchiha Sasuke.

"Awww, aren't you guys cute!"

Neji nearly rolled his eyes, but settled for glaring at Naruto who was watching them with a silly grin.

"I guess the rumors are true after all!"

"Rumors?" That caught Sorano's attention and she pulled away from Neji enough to meet Naruto's gaze. "What rumors?"

Naruto grinned. "Oh, you know, the rumors about Neji-_kun's_ new girlfriend. Can't you hear the sound of hearts shattering everywhere?" he put a hand to his ear and pretended to listen.

"Oh for heaven's sake, if any one of your fan club starts harassing me because _you_ wanted to hold hands in front of the whole of Konoha, I will not be held responsible for my actions," she glared at Neji and he blinked at her with well-practiced innocence.

"Fan club?"

Hinata giggled softly and Sorano instantly latched onto her. "Come on, Hinata, you're the only sensible one here," she said as she pulled the giggling woman off her stool and out of the noodle bar.

"Did you and Nii-san really hold hands in public," she asked in awe.

Sorano blushed. "I didn't expect him to get so jealous."

"I was not jealous," came the indignant retort behind them.

"Why was he jealous?" Hinata asked, ignoring her cousin's scoff.

"Well, I kissed Sasuke and he—."

"You kissed Sasuke?" Naruto shrieked. "Sakura is going to kill you!"

"It was on the cheek," Sorano glanced back at the two men behind her. "And you were too jealous," she shot at Neji who glared dangerously at her.

"But why Sasuke?" Naruto whined. "You've never kissed **me** on the cheek!"

"Naruto-kun!"

"Don't even start, Uzumaki."

"But it's not fair!"

Sorano pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of for the love of—."

The ground exploded beneath them.

* * *

To my adorable readers:

**P60even-** I think a lot of FF writers forget that most of these characters, especially the ones in Naruto, are multi-faceted. For example, with Sasuke like you said people either portray him as a complete jerk or the total hottie, but he is both of those at times and so much more. His character really fascinates me because despite his betrayal of his friends and Konoha, there is still honor and loyalty within him. He just has forced himself to suppress it in order to achieve his revenge. If you read the manga, or the summary of it on Wikipedia, you can see that despite Orochimaru's attempted influence, Sasuke is not a heartless killer. He and Sorano have a lot in common and now as we get into the darker aspects of her life, their relationship will become very important.

And yes, most people do try to involve too many characters at once. I personally find that distracting and annoying and therefore avoid it in my own writing.

**Pixiedust8831- **I can see why it would be difficult to see Naruto in Anbu. Have you see any of the shippuden episodes? He is a whole lot more serious than he used to be, but he still has his "naruto moments" so it isn't really too much of a stretch. I've seen some really great deviant art with him in Anbu gear too.

**Hatsue Cybanne- **Sasuke does like Sorano but not romantically. He didn't particularly want to like her either, but he gets the impression that she understands him in ways others do not so despite his usual habit of keeping distant, he feels drawn to her and is starting to develop affection for her, but again, not romantically.

**VixentheHellraizer-** Sorano's eyes, when they change, look like an eagle's. The pupil slit is very narrow whereas Sasuke's, when he changes with the cursed seal, is very wide. Just about everyone at this point knows Neji has a claim on Sorano (Anbu gossip quite a bit amongst themselves) and Sasuke's possessiveness is more based on the fact that he isn't good with sharing even his friends. He doesn't have romantic feelings for Sorano, but since he feels that she understands him in a way others don't (though he has yet to figure out why), he is very protective of the relationship they do have. Kakashi will have a cameo appearance, but there will be no Gai. I seriously don't think I could write him at all.

**Also **thanks to **hieisgal790, AvidReaderAlso, destiny-penguin, runjumpfly07, TeenAnimeLover, Valinor's Twilight, Satta Kurosama, xtraenergy266, Darkangelsdevil, arrowgirl23, Bonita, and lil'rockgirl **for your wonderfully uplifting and encouraging reviews.


	29. Dragon Wind

A/N- Finally, one of the chapters you all have been waiting for. Just some quick background info. The hidden village of the Earth Country is the Village Hidden in the Rocks, and just FYI the Earth Country and the Fire Country have never been allies in the actual Naruto world. Also, in this chapter Sorano's family name is finally revealed.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The wonderful characters and plot of Naruto are not mine, but the coolness of Sorano is. Hee hee.

**Dragon Wind**

**Chapter 29**

Sorano coughed roughly on the thick cloud of dust that settled over her prone body. Shaking her head to clear the ringing in her ears, she slowly drew her knees under her and winced when her body protested the movement.

_Now, now, what's a few bruises compared to training with Lee,_ she mused with faint amusement as she raised her eyes and froze. Her mind clicked back into the here and now with sharp clarity. _Dinner, explosion, enemy…Hinata. _The Hyuuga heiress hung limp in the enemy's embrace, unconscious and unaware of the kunai at her throat, a trickle of blood barely visible along her temple. Sorano cursed herself for being three kinds of a fool. So intent on her training had she been that she had forgotten why she was training so hard to begin with.

"Hinata! Sorano!"

Her head snapped to the right and her eyes widened at the thin blue shimmer surrounding her. In the confusion caused by his earth shattering jutsu, the enemy had not only snatched up Hinata, but erected a chakra barrier around them as well.

Naruto pounded frantically on the glowing barrier but it barely responded until Neji slammed a chakra blow against it. Blue ripples flowed from the point of impact and then settled once more. Sorano stumbled to her feet and gently touched the barrier where he had struck. When she met his silver eyes wide with anger and panic, she knew she never wanted to see that look in his eyes ever again.

"We can't break through," Neji told her. "It will only absorb our chakra."

"Maybe we can overwhelm it," Naruto suggested but Neji shook his head.

"It would take more chakra than even you possess."

"How very amusing."

Sorano spun to meet the eyes of the man behind her. His hitai-ate stated very clearly where he was from and why he was there. _How did he slip past Anbu? _

Suddenly she didn't feel quite so tired anymore.

"You are a long way from home, Rock-nin," she said as she stepped away from the barrier.

He chuckled, deep and grating. "I fail to see what all the fuss is about. You're no bigger than this sweet little lass here," he tilted Hinata's head up with the edge of his kunai.

"Let her go. She has no part in this," Sorano said.

"And give you reason to run? I don't think so. She will come with us, and as long as you do as you are told, she will remain alive."

Sorano glanced around the interior of the barrier they were trapped in. It spanned the width of the street leaving plenty of room to maneuver, but it was still uncomfortably close quarters for a fight when there was an unconscious comrade involved. She had not been in a true life and death battle in years, but a familiar icy calm settle over her and she welcomed it.

Finally her eyes rested back on him. "Those terms are unacceptable."

All amusement was swept from his face. "You have no choice," he growled as he pressed the blade into Hinata's skin. Blood swelled to the surface and distantly she heard Naruto snarl obscenities.

Sorano slowly lifted her hands and clasped them before her. "There is always a choice."

* * *

Neji studied the barrier with his Byakugan but could find no weakness. The only way to break it was for the user to release the jutsu. Not even Naruto's Rasengan made a dent, the thick barrier only absorbing the swirling chakra on impact.

"There has to be a way," Naruto growled as he pounded once more on the barrier and then stilled. "Wait a minute…"

Neji followed Naruto's focus to the woman inside the barrier in time to see her rapidly form hand signs.

"Substitution jutsu?" he echoed Naruto's thoughts.

In an instant Sorano was gone but instead of the usual white feathers, in her place was Hinata, the unconscious girl slumping to the ground without support.

_But if Hinata is here then…_

Roga of the Hidden Rock blinked in surprise when he found himself staring at the crumpled form of the woman that **should** have been in his arms. Too late did he realize what had happened when the woman he now held drove a sharp elbow into his stomach.

Sorano grabbed his arm with one hand, a fist full of the back of his shirt with the other, and hurled him over her shoulder and into the barrier, twisting on her toes to lever him away from Hinata's current position. It had been a risky move on her part. Exchanging places with Hinata could have ended her battle before it started, but she had moved too quickly for him to react. Her priority had been to get Hinata away from him.

Not wanting to give him time to recover, she sprinted towards him, but the earth beneath her exploded and she back-flipped in time to avoid serious damage. Dirt and stone bit at her skin, but pain could not penetrate the cold seeping through her body. She landed in a low crouch and eyed her opponent warily. The wide grin on his greasy lips did not bode well for her.

"You have some moves, I'll give you that," he grinned, "but if a Substitution jutsu is the best you can do, we really are wasting our time. Still, orders are orders."

He pressed his hand into the ground and she jumped back, expecting another earth shattering jutsu and realized too late, she wasn't his target.

Roga watched the blood drain from her face with sadistic glee as he hurtled shards of rock across the space, knowing she would never reach her friend in time. He would pummel the little Leaf-nin and then take the white-haired woman back to the Daimyo. _This mission is too simple._

"Hinata!" Naruto screamed in hopes of waking up the unconscious girl. It was the most painful, sickening feeling he had ever felt, seeing her in danger and knowing he couldn't protect her. Beside him Neji was pummeling the wall, willing a weakness to be found, but they both froze at the piercing cry of pain that shattered the night.

Sorano slammed into barrier and collapsed to the ground beside Hinata, gasping and coughing blood. For the first time in her life, she blessed the gift she possessed. For the first time in her life, she could protect all that she loved and she intended to do just that.

"What the—?"

The startled exclamation from her enemy sliced cleanly through the pain rolling over her in waves. Pushing herself up on her knees, she slowly pulled a dagger-shaped piece of stone from her stomach with a strangled gasp and dropped it beside her. Blood flowed freely from the deep wound but she knew if she had left it, it would have been impossible to move and not cause further damage. She needed to end this, now.

A quick glance assured her she had sustained the brunt of the damage, no more than a few small pieces having nicked Hinata. For a terrifying moment she had thought she wouldn't make it in time, but it had been the power of that thought that triggered her instincts and within the same instant she was there, blocking the attack with her own body.

"How is this possible," Roga demanded as he looked from her to where she should have been. No human could move that fast.

"You made two mistakes," Sorano said quietly as she reached for Hinata's leg. "You left me access to a weapon." With steady fingers, she snapped open Hinata's kunai pouch and flicked out two kunai.

Roga laughed as she struggled to her feet, staggering from the injury that was soaking her clothes and spattering the dirt beneath her. She could barely stand straight, one hand pressed firmly over her wound.

"And the second?" he mocked, enjoying her pathetic display of obstinacy.

Sorano couldn't feel pain anymore, only hate and rage so cold it could freeze the molten core of the Earth. Tossing one of the kunai to her other hand, Sorano twirled them once before gripping them points down. "You hurt someone I care for," she said, eyes riveted on Hinata's battered and unresponsive body.

Roga scoffed. "I'll kill her once we are through, so stop me if you think you can," he grinned wickedly. "Show me the power of the Ryuusen Clan."

Her eyes snapped up to him, glittering gold. "With pleasure."

She vanished from sight only to appear behind him, a swift slice of her kunai the only hint of her being there for within the same instant she was gone, appearing again in front of him, to the right, the left… nothing more than blue puffs of chakra to the naked eye.

Roga had no time to react, no room to move and his body jerked forward and back with each brutal unseen blow, trapped in a razor-sharp vortex of wind until the attack ceased. Sorano rematerialized on one knee, her arms extended from the final blow, her back to her target. With a gurgled gasp, he fell unmoving onto the ground and the barrier trapping them dissipated into nothingness.

Everything was intensely clear. Every breath, every whisper of movement, even the colors of the ground beneath her were blindingly vibrant and yet she was _**aware.**_

"He's not dead," she said when she felt a presence cautiously approach her. Slowly lowering her arms, she looked up at the masked Anbu. "Not yet."

The Anbu studied her for a moment before slowly extending his hand. Her fingers flexed around the bloody kunai for a moment before she relinquished them to him. Having taken the weapons, he offered his other hand and she stared at it dumbly until he finally spoke.

"You did well, Sorano."

_Sasuke_. Relief flooded through her and she grabbed his hand and let him pull her up. His arms quickly went around her when she stumbled, the pain of her injury returning in force.

"Hinata," she gasped, blinking her eyes and trying to stay awake.

"Naruto has taken her to the hospital," Neji said as he appeared beside her.

Both he and Naruto were frozen in awe of the blinding speed and fury with which she had attacked, and suffering serious injury no less. Even with his Byakugan activated he was hard pressed to follow her movement for she had become little more that sporadic bursts of chakra and the occasional glimpse of blurred motion.

The moment the barrier fell, they both converged on Hinata. Naruto quickly confirmed that she was all right and immediately took off for the hospital with her safely ensconced in his arms.

Sorano was a different matter entirely. Despite the seriousness of her injury, he was wary of approaching her, not knowing what state of mind she would be in. Sasuke reached her first and when she willingly surrendered her weapons to him, Neji felt nothing but relief.

"Neji," she whispered as she tried to focus on his face. "I don't…feel so well."

She slumped instantly into darkness, never feeling the hands that reached for her, nor hearing the alarm in his voice.

* * *

Pale lavender eyes fluttered open in confusion. Before she could even begin to ponder where she was, a warm hand suddenly engulfed her own and worried blue eyes popped into view.

"Hinata, you're awake!" Naruto said with relief. "How do you feel?"

Dark brows furrowed as she concentrated on her body. "A little sore. What happened?" Now that she was awake, the last thing she remembered was a loud explosion and something hard striking her head. Raising her free hand, she searched for a lump and winced when she found it.

Naruto remained unnaturally silent and she focused her eyes back on him and felt her heart squeeze painfully. His head was hung in shame, blue eyes hidden by unruly strands of blonde.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I couldn't get to you in time."

Hinata knew she would never hate anything more than the self-loathing and guilt she heard in his voice just then. He was still holding her hand and she squeezed it gently in hopes of comforting him.

"Naruto-kun."

"We were attacked by a Rock-nin," he said as if he had not heard her and then snorted in disgust. "One enemy nin slipped right past all of us. He trapped you and Sorano-chan in a chakra barrier. I couldn't break through, not even with Rasengan."

Hinata's eyes widened as she processed the scene in her mind. There had been an explosion from beneath them, some sort of earth jutsu, and being in the middle of Konoha none of them could have expected it.

"Sorano, is she all right?" she asked quickly and Naruto's shoulders hunched further as if she had struck him. _Kami, no!_

"She," he breathed out slowly before starting again. "She saved your life, took the attack meant for you."

A sickening feeling permeated her body. The enemy must have used her as a hostage since she was knocked unconscious by his surprise attack. Even now, she was still the weak link.

"He took her," Hinata whispered painfully knowing she was the reason why.

Naruto blinked in surprise and looked up at her. The pained, guilty expression on her face mirrored his own, but she was anything but responsible. Shoving his own melancholy back, he forced a smile upon his face and found it wasn't nearly as hard as he thought it would be.

"Heck no," he said and Hinata looked up at him, startled.

"You don't think Sorano-chan would stand by and let a creep like that get the best of her, do you," he grinned and was relieved to see some of the worry in her eyes subside.

"You mean she…"

Naruto laughed and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up even more. Hinata bit her lip to keep from smiling at the gesture. "She used the most amazing jutsu I have ever seen. We **still **don't know what it was, but that guy didn't stand a chance. Ripped him to pieces, she did." He looked at her with a sparkle of humor once more in his eyes. "I know for certain, that is one woman you do **not** want to piss off."

Hinata smiled and he allowed himself to relax if but a little. It would haunt his nights knowing that he couldn't protect her when she needed him most, but he would make sure it never happened again. At least he could put a smile back on her face.

"So Sorano is okay," Hinata sighed with relief until she saw something flicker in his eyes. "Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked down at her small hand in his. "She took some damage, but Granny Tsunade said she'll pull through. It was touch and go for a while. She still hasn't woken up."

_Neji-nii-san must be going out of his mind_. "She's strong," Hinata said, knowing how worried her love must be. He felt responsible for all of his friends and it was a trait she would never want him to lose.

"Yeah, I know," he said and then offered her another smile that only held a hint of his usual cheer.

"Knock, knock!"

The two looked up and smiled at Sakura as she slid the door open and then closed behind her.

"Glad to see you awake, Hinata," Sakura smiled. "This poor blockhead has been driving me insane with his incessant questioning."

Hinata glanced shyly at Naruto who blushed briefly before turning wide innocent eyes on the pink haired medic.

"Ne, ne, that's not fair, Sakura-chan," he whined.

Sakura waved away his complaint as she picked up the chart on the end of the bed. "How do you feel, Hinata? Any pain?"

"My head aches," she admitted, "and my muscles feel sore."

Sakura nodded as she made a notation. "That's to be expected. You took a good knock to the head and had a few cuts and scrapes, nothing too serious. I'll give you something for your head, but you can go home if you like."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

"How's Sorano-chan? Did she wake up yet?" Naruto asked as he helped Hinata get out of bed. She was a wee bit wobbly until the room stopped spinning.

Sakura's eyes dimmed a bit. "No, but her vitals are stable and her wounds are healing well. She should wake up in the next day or two, but it may be a while before she's one hundred percent. Tsunade-sama said the technique Sorano used was very taxing on her body after remaining dormant for so long. We don't know what kind of repercussions it could have."

"Can we see her, just for a little bit?" Hinata asked timidly while Naruto put her shoes on for her.

"Only Anbu is allowed in, but I guess Naruto can get you through."

"Sure," Naruto said as he stood. "Neji will be happy to see you up."

"Here," Sakura handed the heiress a small bottle of pills. "Take as directed and let me know if the headaches continue for more than two days."

"Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura smiled at Hinata's inescapable courtesy. "I'll walk you guys to Sorano's room," she said and led them out into the hall.

* * *

To my cute readers:

**AvidReaderAlso-** In Chapter 25 Sorano told Neji she crossed paths with Tsunade when Tsunade was on her way back to Konoha from a diplomatic mission. Knowing of the loyalty that existed between the Sannin and her father (Sorano's father once saved Tsunade's life thus the life-debt she owed to him and is paying back to Sorano), Sorano revealed to Tsunade all that had occurred from the time Tsunade last saw her father. So yes, Tsunade is the only one who knows **all** of the details of Sorano's past.

It is safe to say that Neji's jealousy was based on his insecurity regarding Sorano's feelings. Once she started to reciprocate with little displays of affection and by confiding in him details of her past, he lost all reason to feel jealous of her affection for Sasuke because she admitted that what they had was notably different. If anything, he has definitely recognized Sasuke as an ally in protecting and caring for Sorano.

**Also **thanks to **La, FoxLuvr, destiny-penguin, Darkangelsdevil, Valinor's Twilight, 2animefans, xtraenergy266, TeenAnimeLover, Hatsue Cybanne, pixiedust8831, zelda4ever, and moogle in paradaisu **for your wonderful reviews.

(checks rollercoaster carts) Hope I didn't lose any chibi shadow readers on that plunge. Better strap in tighter before the next one comes!


	30. The Ones We Love

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

**The Ones We Love**

**Chapter 30**

Neji pried his eyes open when he heard the whispered slide of the door. Naruto poked his head in with a grin and Neji shared a glance with the silent Uchiha by the window, both thinking the same thing. _What's __**he**__ so happy about?_

The answer came attached to his arm and Neji sat up a little straighter.

"Hinata-sama."

"Neji-nii-san, how is she?" his cousin asked as she detached herself from Naruto and walked cautiously up to the bed, the blonde following her closely in case she should stumble.

Neji followed her gaze down to the woman beside him. It had been just a day since the attack and while he had hoped Sorano would have awakened by now, he knew it was too much to expect. Her face was still pale from blood loss and with her white hair spread out around her on the pillow she looked more like a snow angel than a living being.

"She's stable but she hasn't moved even a finger."

"Naruto-kun told me what happened," she said and looked up at him with understanding eyes, knowing he was feeling just as responsible as Naruto.

"Did Granny say anything more about the jutsu she used?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke snorted from his place by the window. "She's even more tight lipped then before."

The three of them hadn't really discussed what they had seen that night, being more concerned and preoccupied with Sorano's injuries. But since then, Neji had given it a great deal of thought.

"Could you follow it with your Sharingan," he asked the other man.

Sasuke looked at him, brows furrowed. "Barely. You?"

"The same," Neji said. "Even if my eyes could follow it I would be hard pressed to physically match that kind of speed."

"Do you think she'll be all right when she wakes up?" Hinata asked quietly. "Do you think she will still be—?"

"Sane?" Sasuke finished for her. She nodded and all eyes shifted to him.

_When did I become the authority on the woman? _He looked out the window and frowned in thought. Something untamed still lingered in her eyes that night, but when she looked up him, he could tell she knew exactly what she had done and where she was. The fact that she did not kill her opponent was proof enough that she had been in complete control. He had no idea what had snapped inside of her, but he suspected the Rock-nin's mistake had been to direct his attack at Hinata instead of Sorano.

Still, that was a great deal of power for one woman to possess and he needed to be certain she was in total control. Until she woke up, he couldn't truly be sure.

"We will see," he finally said to those who were still expecting an answer from him.

Hinata sighed and looked down at her friend once more. "I think she will," she murmured and was pleased to see the slight softening of her cousin's eyes.

Naruto gently grasped her arm and only then did she realize she was swaying on her feet again. "I'll take you home, Hinata, so you can rest." He exchanged a quick glance with Neji who nodded his gratitude.

"Make sure you eat something, Nii-san," she said by way of parting and Neji couldn't help smile. _Always thinking of others_.

"I'm going to check on the prisoner, see if Ibiki has learned anything yet," Sasuke said as he drew away from the window. Pausing at the door, he looked over his shoulder. "If she wakes up…"

"I'll send word," Neji promised.

Sasuke nodded sharply and left the room. There was an Anbu guard station outside the room, one inside if himself or Neji were not present, and another outside the hospital in clear view of the room. Tsunade wasn't taking any chances after the attack.

He was still kicking himself for letting the Rock-nin slip past him. With Naruto and Neji beside Sorano and himself and his partner watching from the shadows, the enemy still managed to cut them off from Sorano and Hinata. It seriously pissed him off and he could only imagine how Neji and Naruto must feel.

Looking up as he stalked down the hallway, he saw Sakura leaning against the nurses' station scribbling on a chart. _What if it had been her?_

Sakura was the weakest member of their team as genin. He never once believed she would ever amount to anything, but she had guts and courage that took her further than he could ever imagine. Now she was one of the most capable kunoichi in the village, top medic beneath the Hokage, and insanely stronger than any man alive. He still couldn't comprehend how she could level a house with one blow, but then, she always did have a killer punch.

To compare her to anyone else was foolish. There were a great many missions when he would prefer having her lethal fist on his side over anyone else. But then there were times when he would wish for Tenten's deadly accuracy or Hinata's fast, chakra damaging strikes. He couldn't consider any of them weak or useless anymore and it had been a fluke that Hinata had been struck unconscious by the first attack. It took them all by surprise.

What if it had been Sakura? What if it had been her lying there helpless and unknowing of the attack that would end her life and he couldn't get to her in time? He would have been blasting that barrier with Chidori until it bled him dry. And if it had been her taking the blow to protect another, bleeding out before his very eyes…

Sakura looked up when she felt someone staring at her and was surprised to see Sasuke standing there, his eyes impenetrably dark.

"Sasuke?" she asked with not a little concern.

With wide, verdant eyes staring up at him, he suddenly understood why Neji couldn't step more than three feet from that hospital bed, why Naruto held a limp hand all through the night in hopes of some movement. No matter how hard they tried, no matter how powerful they all became, there would still be times when they couldn't protect the ones they loved. So you stayed by their side while you could.

"Sasuke?" Sakura spoke again with obvious worry as she reached up to touch him, wondering if he might have caught a fever or something to make him act so strangely.

She started when he caught her hand in his and pulled her against him. Strong arms wrapped around her and held her tightly against his chest.

_He definitely caught something…or else I'm dreaming. Maybe both?_ Still caught in her confusion, she didn't even have a chance to respond before he pulled away. Looking up at him, her bewilderment magnified at the smirk curling his lips, the shadows gone from his eyes once more. He poked her gently in the forehead before turning on his heal and walking away.

Sakura stared after him, still feeling the warmth of his embrace. "Huh."

* * *

Once when she was six, she fell from a tree and was stabbed through with a pointed branch. This felt infinitely worse.

Sorano cracked open an eye and closed it instantly against blinding intensity. Deciding to abandon that sense for the moment, she tried to place her surroundings by different means.

A soothing fragrance permeated the room, flowers. Well, no place full of flowers could be all that bad. She could hear birds chirping, but knew from the lack of breeze that she was not outside. There was something else beneath the sound of birds that she could not quite grasp, something soft…breathing perhaps? So wherever she was, she probably wasn't alone.

Cracking her eye open again at a much slower rate limited the pain of adjustment and she was slowly able to see fully the white tiled ceiling above her. Groaning softly, she closed her eyes again and was swallowed up by fire. Everything burned. Her skin, her muscles…she was certain she was being cooked from the inside out. It was enough to make her wish she never woke up until she heard movement beside her.

Thankful for any distraction from the approaching madness, she cracked her eyes open again and found a red striped cat grinning down at her. After a few blinks she realized it was a mask, Anbu.

She opened her mouth to speak and managed a grated rasp. The mask disappeared and then a cup was pressed to her lips, a hand beneath her head helping her tilt just enough to swallow the soothing liquid.

"Hospital?" she asked when her head was placed back on the pillow.

"Yes," came the muffled reply. "I shall inform Hokage-sama you are awake."

She reached out weakly when she felt him step away. "Neji," she rasped and this time she was certain she heard a smile in the Anbu's voice.

"The Captain is just outside. I will send him in."

Closing her eyes in relief, she felt minutes that could have been hours pass by before a gentle hand alighted on her head. Cracking her eyes open once more, she stared into silver eyes full of worry and relief for a moment before letting herself slip comfortably back into blessed darkness.

* * *

Tsunade jotted down some-what legible notes onto the clipboard while checking Sorano's vitals. "I didn't expect her to wake up so soon," she admitted to the three men who waited with ill-concealed anticipation.

It had been an hour since she was informed of Sorano's brief return to consciousness. The Anbu guard said she appeared to be in a great deal of pain, so the first thing she had done upon entering the room was administer a painkiller into her IV.

"But she was sane, right?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"The Anbu guard said she was aware of her surroundings, so I'd say that's a good sign," Tsunade said with amusement. Naruto never was one to beat around the bush and she had to admit, Sorano's mental stability was one of her top concerns.

"Don't you people have somewhere else to be," a quiet voice rasped and they all looked down to see dull blue eyes flicker open.

"How do you feel?" Tsunade asked.

Sorano looked up at her with a half-hearted 'what do you think' glare.

A gentle squeeze of her hand pulled her attention to the man sitting beside her.

"Hinata?" she asked and the faint tilt of his lips eased her mind before his words could.

"She had a mild concussion and some scrapes and cuts, but is fine. She went home yesterday."

Sorano started to nodded but froze with the pain that seared through her body at the movement. "What's the damage," she gasped as she tried to focus on Neji's firm grip instead of the pain.

"We removed pieces of rock from your pancreas, spleen, and abdominal muscles, but your stomach sustained the worst damage. I would recommend avoiding spicy food for a while," Tsunade said with false humor. It had been a long, touchy operation. They couldn't risk missing one piece, no matter how small. Still, it could have been a good deal worse.

After stepping out of the operation room and assuring the three men that it had been a success, Neji had asked her the most startling question.

_"Will she still be able to have children?"_

It would have been a great loss to both Sorano and Konoha if she had been irreparably damaged in such a way, but she instantly knew that wasn't why the Anbu Captain asked. In all the years she had worked with the man, watched him grow and progress from genin to jonin, she had never once seen so much emotion in the Hyuuga's eyes.

_If anyone is strong enough to hold onto her, it's him_.

"You'll be on your feet again in a week, but you'll have to go easy on the training for a little while."

"I can live with that," Sorano said. "What about the Rock-nin?"

"Anbu interrogation is working on him," Sasuke finally spoke up and her eyes flickered to him. She hadn't realized he was there.

"You just worry about getting better, Sorano-chan," Naruto grinned. "We will take care of the rest."

A small smile curled her lips. "Maybe, just this once," she agreed.

Tsunade tucked the clipboard back into the slot at the foot of the bed. "We'll let you rest. If the pain gets to be too much, ring for a nurse."

"Thank you," she said as she watched Naruto and Sasuke follow her out.

Neji started to pull his hand free when she whispered, "Stay."

"You need your rest," he said as he stared down at her weary expression.

Sorano turned her face towards him and closed her eyes. "We both know I rest better when you are near," she murmured.

He didn't reply and she was hovering uncomfortably on the fringes of sleep when she felt the bed dip beside her. The warmth of his nearness contrasted sharply with the fire inside her and made it easier to feel past it. His fingers brushed gently against her cheek, her forehead, then through her hair. She finally relaxed into slumber, soothed by his touch, with a smile on her lips.

* * *

To my lovable, huggable readers:

**Savvy0X- **I picked Ryuusen for Sorano's last name because it is often used in the names of the many techniques of the Hiten Mitsurugi style of swordsmanship in Rurouni Kenshin and all of Kenshin's attacks are dragon attacks, thus the "ryuu". I'm pretty sure the "sen" part is mostly grammatical as I haven't been able to find a definition for it anywhere. I suppose the general meaning of "Ryuusen" would be "of the dragon" which is very fitting for Sorano and her family as will be explained later.

**Also **arigato to **arrowgirl23, Hatsue Cybanne, TeenAnimeLover, fullofmisery, xtraenergy266, Satta Kurosama, FoxLuvr, destiny-penguin, and runjumpfly07 **for your kind reviews.


	31. The Art of Persuasion

Story info: In the language of flowers, daffodils represent regard or respect.

Disclaimer: Alas, Naruto is simply out of my reach. Sorano, however, is not. No Touchy.

**The Art of Persuasion**

**Chapter 31**

Naruto, Hinata and Sakura happily offered their assistance in transporting the numerous bouquets of flowers that had crowded her hospital room to her apartment once she was released. Sorano didn't recognize half of the names on the offerings, but Naruto cheerfully identified each and every one as Anbu operatives, most having shared the duty of watching over her.

The whiskered blonde laughed heartily at her startled expression and jovially informed her that they all knew she belonged to Neji. She would have slugged him for that comment if her swing weren't so limited by her injuries. Sakura did the honors and then immediately demanded why she hadn't been informed of this recent development.

Lee had supplied a few massive, astonishingly vibrant displays as testament to her _"unquenchable flame of youthful spirit!"_ Naruto gave her another little plastic plant. _"They last longer."_ There were multi-colored roses from both Hinata and Neji and a potted lily from Sakura. "_So you have something real." _Insert pointed glare at Naruto.

Beneath them all, she found a lone daffodil in a crystal vase with a small tag simply sighed Sasuke. It said enough.

She still had an Anbu tail, but knew the reason was now for her own protection instead of others. Knowing she was under constant surveillance also kept her from doing more than she should. A few days after her release, Tsunade cleared her for training in its most mild form, meaning her opponents had to take it _very _easy on her. Lee was more than happy to comply and Sasuke once more started her on target practice. He wanted to be certain of her sanity and was pleased with the results. Sorano felt emotionally drained after having a real live target to vent her pent up rage upon and the fear of losing herself to memory had finally subsided.

For their part, Anbu had failed to gain any vital information from the Rock-nin as to the identity of any comrades or their possible whereabouts and she didn't expect them too. The man had managed to slip past Konoha's elite and trap her in a chakra barrier in the middle of the village. He wasn't to be underestimated.

Life appeared to continue on as normal but Sorano knew things would never be the same now that the seal on her past had been broken. She found it odd that not one of her friends had questioned her about her technique. She could see the curiosity in their eyes, but they never spoke a word of it, perhaps still doubting her mental stability? No, that was unlikely. Both Sasuke and Tsunade had given her a clean bill of health and she had even spoken with the Anbu psychologist for good measure just to put their minds at ease…and her own.

_Maybe they are waiting for me to speak of it first._ Well, they would have to wait a little bit longer. The answers they sought were bound closely to her shadowed past and she needed just a little more time to steel herself to face it. Hell would find her soon enough, no need to chase after it until she was ready.

The kind old librarian, Taka-san, had been letting her off earlier than usual since her injury and at first she was uncertain what to do with the extra time on her hands. She walked around the village a lot, exploring streets and shops she had not passed before and even some of the parks and gardens. Eventually she found a serene little spot near a small pond and would take a book there to read. At times like that, she felt kind of sorry for her Anbu guard who had to sit in the shadows and watch.

But she didn't feel like reading today. Her spirit was becoming restless and not even sparring with Lee could burn it off. So in her quiet little clearing Sorano embraced a dance she once thought she would never return to, ignoring once more the eyes that constantly watched her.

* * *

It wasn't difficult finding her. Sorano had fallen into a semblance of a routine and Anbu was well aware of the pattern. Kanaida Tohru and Denjiro Eishi were her assigned shadow guards that day and neither were expecting his arrival.

"Is something wrong?" Tohru asked, seeing as Neji was in full uniform.

"No. What's she doing?"

All eyes went back to the woman in the small clearing below. She had secured herself two sticks measuring about eight inches in length and held them as she would a pair of short swords.

"Practicing," Eishi said.

They watched silently as she moved slowly through a series of katas, an elegant dance of death. Neji had only ever seen one other woman move with such elegant flexibility and that was Hinata. Like his little cousin, Sorano appeared less than threatening upon a glance but he knew should those be real swords and she utilized the untouchable speed she kept hidden, even the most powerful shinobi could fall to her in a matter of seconds. Despite the uneven size and width of her sticks, she handled them with grace and strength, manipulating the would-be blades with the natural ease of a born predator. When she turned on her heal, Neji noticed her eyes were closed in serene concentration and her feet bare.

"How long has she been doing this?"

"A little over an hour now," Tohru said. "This is the first time she's done it though." He looked up at Neji, but his voice revealed the curiosity that his mask hid. "Is this how she defeated the Rock-nin?"

Eishi tilted his head in curious anticipation of Neji's answer as well. The details of that night had been kept between a select few, especially regarding Sorano's fighting style.

"Something like that," Neji said vaguely. By unspoken agreement, all of those who had witnessed the battle had kept Sorano's secret. There was a reason Tsunade didn't speak of it and until Sorano was ready to, they wouldn't ask.

Dropping to the ground, Neji silently approached her, his steps not even whispering against the grass.

"Are you on duty," she asked without opening her eyes or pausing her movements and he froze in surprise.

_How did she…_

"You smell like the forest after a storm," she said. Having followed through on her kata, she turned around and looked at him, "And you were walking upwind."

"Naruto is rubbing off on you," he said with amusement. It was oddly pleasing to know she could identify him by scent and to hear her describe it with such warm detail.

"Not always a bad thing," she said with a smile. "But I knew you were here before then."

"Ah, another secret of yours?" he teased.

Sorano shrugged as she effortlessly twirled a stick in hand. "Was there something you needed or did you just miss me?"

Neji stepped closer, suddenly annoyed with the fact that he had her alone in a secluded clearing…with two of his comrades watching from the shadows. After her release from the hospital their time together had been limited to a few brief, public dinners. He, like everyone else, had been busy trying to locate the Rock-nin's comrades.

"Yes," he said, "and yes."

Her smile widened slightly. "Then what can I do for you, Hyuuga-san."

Oh she was trying to kill him, he was certain of it, but his glare lost all its power when hidden behind an Anbu mask. He reached up and tugged ruefully at one of her loose strands and she laughed, batting his hand away. Their play would have to wait for another time.

"You requested to see the prisoner. I'm here to escort you to Anbu headquarters."

The smile slipped from her face, but her eyes remained calm. "Let me get my shoes," she said. She hadn't really expected her request to be granted, but she had gone straight to Tsunade and informed her that since Anbu clearly wasn't getting what they wanted from the man than maybe she could offer an alternative course of action.

Following Neji through the trees and over the rooftops, she took a moment to consider her plan of attack. She knew exactly what she wanted, but needed more subtle means to achieve it. Sometimes interrogators forgot to be subtle.

Because she wasn't an Anbu operative or even a ranking ninja of the village, Neji had to blindfold her upon entering the building. She understood there were many things she was not privileged to see and didn't complain.

"As long as you don't lead me into a wall," she told him. There weren't many twists and turns, but there were a few doors with encoded locks and then a steep stairwell that would have been her undoing if not for the firm grasp on her arm. Having reached the bottom, he led her down a long hallway before pulling the scarf from her eyes.

She blinked rapidly in the darkness and then looked up at the bear of a man towering over her. Twin scars slashed across his granite face and his hard black eyes made her feel about ten inches tall. She resisted the urge to step back, meeting his cold glare with a measuring one of her own. An almost imperceptible curl of his lips revealed his amusement.

"Morino Ibiki," Neji introduced him. "Head of Anbu Torture and Interrogation."

"Little thing, aren't you," Ibiki said with a deep rumbling voice.

"Compared to you, sure," she said and the curl of his lips spread.

"Think you can get some use out of such an obstinate prisoner?"

"I wouldn't mind a shot at it," she said with a shrug.

He held her gaze for a moment longer before turning his attention to the window beside them. Sorano followed his glance and looked inside the interrogation room. The Rock-nin was sitting slumped in a chair looking the worse for wear, but bearing very few injuries. The ones she had inflicted on him had since been healed so as not to interfere with Ibiki's methods.

"We prefer genjutsu, but he proved to be fairly resistant. If we press him any further, it will shatter his mind and he won't be any use to anyone." Ibiki looked down at her, taking in her impassive expression as she stared at the man who had attacked her. "The Hokage says you know these people, the way they think."

"I doubt he knows the answers to half the things you asked him." She looked up at him then, a determined gleam in her eye. "But he knows how to get to the ones who do."

Ibiki studied the small woman with veiled curiosity. Her name and nickname were household words among Anbu operatives mostly because she held the undivided interested of one of their esteemed captains…who notoriously avoided dating. She also had enough mettle to meet his gaze straight on and that was something few could do.

"He's all yours," he said. "Anything you need?"

Sorano looked back into the darkened room and steeled herself for what she was about to do. "A scalpel," she said.

Ibiki raised a brow and glanced at Neji who merely shrugged and turned on his heel to retrieve the tool from the supply room. Sorano kept her eyes on her target until he returned. Without a word, she tucked the surgical knife into a pocket and entered the room.

"Has she ever done this before?" Ibiki asked as Neji sidled up next to him to watch through the one-way window.

Pushing his mask up to the top of his head, Neji's eyes narrowed. "I hope not."

* * *

Sorano stood silently with her back to the door and waited for the Rock-nin to look up.

"You're wasting your time," he growled as he glared at the floor. He was not bound to the chair, but his arms remained slack on his knees.

"You are obsessed with time," she said and his head snapped up at her soft voice.

Throwing his head back, Roga laughed gratingly, his voice hoarse from lack of fluids. "Come to finish the job?" he asked when his laughter subsided.

"Who sent you," she asked, ignoring his question.

"The tooth fairy," he grinned.

"What were your orders?"

"To give gifts to all the good little girls and boys," he laughed, the glint of insanity in his eyes. "How's your little friend?" he said then.

Sorano calmly walked up to him, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him to the ground.

"You annoy me," she said impassively as she kneeled over him, her knee digging into his solar plexus. "Do you have any idea how much physical pain the human body can endure before it succumbs to death?"

He garbled something unidentifiable against her strangle hold on his throat. Calmly palming the surgical knife from her pocket, she held it up for him to see. "I can flay the flesh from your body and it will take you three days to die, longer if your heart is sustained with healing jutsus."

His eyes remained riveted on the scalpel as he weakly gripped the hand at his throat.

"Did Nogitarou send you," she asked and when he remained silent, she calmly pressed the edge of the scalpel against his arm. "I think I'll start here," she said.

A gargled hiss escaped his throat as blood welled up beneath the sharp blade. "Yes!"

Sorano eased off the pressure. "Why?"

When he remained stubbornly silent, she pressed once more on the already broken skin.

"To retrieve the Ryuusen heir," he hissed. "That's all I'm saying so you might as well kill me now."

"What a coincidence," she said as she released his throat and sat back. "That's all I wanted to know."

He stared at her like she had grown a second head. After all the interrogations, the mind-shattering torture, she only wanted to confirm what she obviously already knew?

"I'm not going to kill you, Rock-nin," she said, "because I want you to deliver a message for me." Grabbing a fistful of his shirt, she jerked him up to her face. "But the next time I see you, I will finish what I started."

He swallowed harshly. "What's the message?"

Sorano grinned fiercely her eyes glowing gold. "Tell Nogitarou…he's a dead man."

* * *

Upon leaving the room Sorano calmly handed the bloody scalpel to Ibiki, turned on her heal, and walked away. Neji took a step to follow when a heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking back at the Anbu Interrogator, he was startled to see the man's face split into a wide grin.

"I **like** her," he said. "Think she'll join my team?"

Neji managed to suppress a grimace at that thought. "Let's make her a Leaf-nin first."

Ibiki chuckled and released him. "You are a lucky man, Hyuuga. I'll have the prisoner at the gates in ten minutes."

"He'll expect to be followed," Neji said.

"Of course he will," Ibiki grinned. "But I think your lady has already worked that out." He chuckled again as he walked away, muttering something about the subtle art of "feminine persuasion".

Neji smiled slightly after the giant. For some reason, Ibiki's approval meant a good deal more than most peoples.

He found Sorano waiting for him at the bottom of the steps, her expression still poised and calm, but weary. It was disturbing to see her remain cool in the face of what she had just done. He knew it went against every grain in her body.

"Do you really intend to kill the Earth Country's Daimyo?" he asked as he tied the black scarf around her eyes.

"No, but he doesn't need to know that," she said. "I don't think Tsunade would appreciate another war right now either."

Neji grunted his agreement as he guided her up the steps. "Ibiki will have the prisoner at the gate in a few minutes. He's going to expect a tail."

"I know but he will never see it and eventually he'll lead us right to his team."

Neji smirked at her reasoning. It had been vital to confirm that the man was there for her and by order of the Daimyo. Not even Ibiki managed to get that from him, but then Sorano's method did seem unexpectedly persuasive.

Once they reached the door, he pulled the blindfold off of her and slipped his mask back on. Her two shadow guards were waiting outside and followed them all the way to the gate, albeit at a distance. They didn't have to wait long before two more Anbu arrived with the prisoner in tow.

He merely glared at them all and the moment his bonds were cut he was off running, but no one followed. Sorano stood in the gate and watched him disappear from sight, ignoring the curious eyes that waited for her to make a move.

"Sorano?" Neji asked quietly.

"Ah," she murmured before biting her thumb and flipping rapidly through several hand seals. Dropping to one knee, she pressed her hand to the ground. "Ninja art: Summoning jutsu."

A great explosion of smoke swept over them with a roar of beating wings. When the summoning smoke cleared, Neji looked up in time to see a massive bird sweeping up from the ground in a great spiral before gliding back towards them. Its wingspan was no less than five feet from tip to tip, edged in shades of white, gold and brown. For a moment it looked as if it would barrel right into them, but it merely swept past at astonishing speed, twisted gracefully in the air and swept back down to land on Sorano's outstretched arm with a furious beat of its wings.

The eagle dwarfed her in size, but sat with gentle ease on her arm, its deadly talons barely even pinching her skin. Neji winced when it screeched loudly, tilting its head this way and that to take in its surroundings.

"I need your help, Huntress," Sorano said as she stroked the eagle's feathered chest.

The bird studied her for a moment then swiveled its great head to look at him. It squawked and clicked before looking back at Sorano who had the brightest blush dusting her cheeks.

"Huntress!" Sorano said, but the bird only clicked its beak at her. "Well, I'm not an eagle, in case you've forgotten!"

The bird ruffled its feathers and gave Sorano a tilted look that clearly said, "that is no excuse."

Sorano shook her head. "This is not the time," she snapped. "There is a man within those woods," she pointed towards where the Rock-nin had disappeared and the bird followed the gesture. "I need you to follow him for as far as he goes."

The bird fixed its golden eye on her and clicked again. "Yes," Sorano confirmed grimly.

With a shrill screech and a furious beating of wings, the bird was off like Naruto on a ramen run. Sorano closed her eyes and adjusted herself to the changing distance within her sight. It had been a long time since she had called on her feathered friend, something Huntress was quick to scold her for, and the sudden sensation of flying high above the ground nearly made her nauseous.

Sensing the man beside her about to speak, Sorano held up a hand to stop him. _Yes, there. That is him. Do not let him from your sight_, she called to the bird.

Pulling herself back, she opened her eyes and looked up at the man beside her.

Neji blinked at the golden avian eyes staring back at him. "What do you see?"

"Everything she does," Sorano said. Her eyes slowly morphed back into their natural blue. "She'll call to me when she finds where the others are."

"And then?"

Sorano rubbed her face tiredly. "That's up to the Hokage."

"Sorano?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you blush?"

Sorano stiffened, her cheeks heating up once more. It would take a whole lot more than Ibiki could dish out to get her to admit that Huntress had asked if Neji was her mate. _Stupid eagle._

* * *

To my lovable, huggable readers:

**Darkangelsdevil- **Yes, Sorano will be able to have children. Though I didn't come right out and say so, it was implied. Tsunade would have told her when she rattled off the list of her injuries if she had suffered that kind of damage. Mostly that question from Neji was intended to point out the depth of his feelings and intentions for Sorano.

**Also **thanks to **moogle in paradaisu, agirlwithnolife, MustBeEmo, TheFirstTime, Mair9512, Valinor's Twilight, and FoxLuvr **for your awesome reviews.

(flings bottles of sunblock into the shadows) You chibi shadow readers might need this for the next chapter. It's the one everyone has been waiting for!


	32. The Ryuusen Clan of Wind and Fire

A/N- There are a **ton** of important details in this chapter that will come into play later so please don't rush while reading it. Personally I really like this chapter, especially how it ends. Enjoy the revelations!

Disclaimer: Shoot! Outbid on ebay again!

**The Ryuusen Clan of Wind and Fire**

**Chapter 32**

Sorano leaned against a window in the Hokage's Tower, seeing far beyond any view the glass provided.

The prisoner had taken a very wayward path, no doubt trying to lose the tracker he could not see. After three days he rejoined his comrades, three unknown Rock-nin. They camped just over a day's run from the village in a well-hidden niche of rock and trees. The foliage growth was too thick for Huntress to get a closer view and she didn't want to chance tipping their hand. Something about the ease of it all bothered Sorano, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Finally she released the connection with Huntress and the vision of dense forest melded back into the warm familiarity of Konoha.

She had already given Tsunade a detailed report on all that she had seen through her eagle's eyes but had maintained the connection for a bit longer in hopes of gleaning something more. The Hokage was now discussing strategy with her three chosen jonin, Sasuke, Naruto and Neji.

Sorano listened with growing agitation as the plan slowly took form. Huntress was able to provide them with a destination, but the lack of Intel was disturbing for a mission of this magnitude. Sorano did not doubt their skills in the least, but it wasn't right that they should be the ones to shoulder this burden. It was **her** battle, **her** future that hung in the balance. Of course she knew better than to try to convince them otherwise. These three remarkable men had tangled themselves up so tightly in the threads of her soul despite her resistance that she could no longer feel whole without them and by that same invisible bond they were driven to risk everything to protect her. Before them, she hadn't known what it was like to have someone stand up for her, to fight for **her**. For the first time in her life she wasn't alone anymore and she would do anything to protect that precious bond.

She would fight.

She would kill.

She would tell the truth.

"My father was the Daimyo's favored assassin," she said softly and the voices behind her instantly fell silent. The weight of undivided attention felt heavy on her back, but she forced herself to drag up the memories she kept sealed deep inside. It was time. They _**needed**_ to know.

"The Ryuusen Clan was founded by missing-nins from the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire before they became allies. It was a marriage of love." It was also one of her favorite bedtime stories and her father always got the softest look in his eyes when he told it. Her parent's marriage had also been one of love, her mother having been nothing more than a palace servant.

"They took refuge far to the north of the Land of Earth, but because their defection was for love and not out of any true loathing for their homeland, they refused all association with the Village Hidden in the Rock. The Ryuusen Clan stood on their own merit, found favor with the Daimyo of that time, and have served the royal family ever since by individual oath."

Turning away from the window, she hesitantly met their stares, finding only calm curiosity staring back at her. Tsunade leaned back in her chair, amber eyes gently encouraging her to continue, knowing the unadulterated truth of the pain she was forcing herself to relive.

"To the matron of the Ryuusen Clan was born twin sons. One was blessed with an affinity for Fire, the other for Wind. From these came the dual nature of the Ryuusen Clan. But over time the Fire came to dominate in numbers because of its strength and those of the Wind, born only within the main family, began to dwindle. My father, the head of our clan, was the last of the Wind until I was born."

"Ryukaze," Neji said, the first to break the silence.

"My bloodline limit," she said, meeting his gaze evenly. "I can teleport instantly with a mere thought and my eyes change to compensate for the velocity of movement. My father was listed in the Bingo book under this name until he died and it became mine." She looked away, her eyes settling on Naruto.

"I was expected to one day take my father's place as the Daimyo's favored assassin, but I was astonishingly _incapable_ of using my gift. The Clan believed it was because my blood was diluted with that of a commoner. My mother was a palace servant and possessed no shinobi skill to speak of."

She glanced at Neji again then to a nearby window, unable to hold his searching gaze. "There was unrest within the Clan, concerns that I would be too weak to take my father's place. Only I wasn't weak, my power was just latent. Now I'm all that is left." She swallowed harshly, not wanting to go on, but needing too.

"It took my mother three hours to die," she whispered in a strangled voice. "They made me watch. I was nine years old." Gritting her teeth against the memory, she snapped her head up and shoved the images back with the familiar, _living_ faces before her.

Neji bore a look of shock, Naruto one of horror, and Sasuke… There were emotions in those obsidian eyes she could never put words to.

Naruto cleared his throat and her eyes locked on him. "So, you're an Avenger," he said. "Like Sasuke."

Her eyes flickered to the Uchiha, then away. "Not anymore," she said.

Fair brows dipped into a frown. "You mean you…" Naruto faded off as comprehension settled over him with sickening intensity.

"Four years ago," Neji whispered softly but she heard and shifted uneasily, her hands gripping the window ledge behind her until her knuckles turned white. There were some details they could never know.

"I was not intended to die," she said with the faintest tremor in her voice. "As a child of the Wind, I was the only one left who could summon the Clan Guardian, a beast of terrible power and the source of our elemental gifts. They thought if they could control me then they could ultimately control the Guardian. The Daimyo still believes this."

She looked up then, eyes hard as granite. "That's why I am going with you."

Thick, heavy silence fell over the room. She silently dared them to challenge her right of involvement, for with or without them, she was going. This was her fight and no one was going to keep her from finishing it.

Finally, Sasuke turned to look at Tsunade with an expression that could have passed for boredom if not for the murderous gleam in his dark eyes.

"When do we leave?"

* * *

It was surreal, staring at the provisions spread out on the bed before her. The moment she was training for loomed ahead and yet she felt unnaturally calm, like the stillness before a hurricane. Bandages, medicine courtesy of Hinata, standard issue energy bars, a comb, a blanket, one change of clothes, some money, and an assortment of weapons were laid before her, but it was the engraved metal plate bound to blue cloth that her fingers hovered over.

_"You're already one of us. Want to make it official?"_

Picking up the Leaf hitai-ate, Sorano stuffed it into her pack beneath the rest of her belongings. Until she wore it upon her person she would remain simply Ryuusen Sorano, without allegiance, owing nothing to anyone, and Ryuusen Sorano was exactly who she needed to be right now.

To think she had spent so many years running from her past and now she was running towards it.

They would not depart until the next morning but she didn't mind the wait. It gave her more time to pull herself back together after ripping her heart apart in front of the three men she respected most. Emotion could inhibit her judgment and she did not want to endanger the lives of others by feeling too much and thinking too little.

There was, however, one small detail she neglected to point out, not wanting to give them any reason to demand she remain behind. If Neji knew she had no doubt he would seal off her chakra and lock her in the deepest, darkest dungeon he could find until he had personally slaughtered every last one of her enemies.

Sorano smiled at the thought, the first positive emotion she had felt since the meeting that afternoon. Neji never said a word regarding her story. She knew he could see she was already straining to contain herself, her nerves sizzling with renewed heat and anger. The memories were always fresh for her, no matter the passage of time, and speaking of them only made it harder to push the gruesome images aside.

When everyone parted ways outside of Tsunade's office, he had silently taken her hand and she submissively followed to wherever he wished to go. He had connected the dots, knowing a shade more than the others did, but the full gravity of her sin, of her revenge, still remained secret.

Neji didn't ask who and he didn't ask why. He simply led her to a quite garden, sat down beneath a shaded tree, and pulled her into his lap. No words were spoken. He just held her as tight as humanly possible and for the first time in eleven years her tears found her again. The poor man's shirt was soaked long before the crystal evidence of her pain subsided.

When her nerves were once more calm, the memories pacified, he tenderly brushed away the tears from her cheeks, placed a lingering kiss on her forehead, and said there was someone he wanted her to meet.

She was certain she looked a mess but Neji assured her, with a sparkle of amusement in his eyes and a fond smile, that she looked like Hinata when Naruto hugged her. That meant her cheeks were bright rosy pink and her eyes brilliantly intense. It also would explain the looks they were receiving from passersby, that or the hand firmly holding hers, fingers entwined only as lovers would do.

He took her to the weapons shop where the kunai set in the display window had caught her eye and there she met the woman Rock Lee loved. It never occurred to her that Lee's heart was already given for he had never spoken of it, but their own relationship was more that of student and teacher than confidential friends.

Tenten was everything and nothing of the woman she would have expected to compliment Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast. If she had to compare the Weapons Mistress to anything, it would be the cacti so plentiful in the Land of Wind. The spiky plants produced the most beautiful blossoms, but were quick to stab anyone who disregarded the dangerous spines. It took her less than thirty seconds to decide she liked Tenten, a lot, and the fact that she knew how to push all of Neji's buttons with remarkable ease only increased her opinion of the woman.

Neji bought her the kunai set in the window display, a new pouch to keep them in, and a pair of wakizashi blades that Tenten personally recommended when hearing about Sorano's fighting style. Sorano never had any intention of picking up such deadly blades again since taking revenge four years ago, but seeing Neji smirking at Tenten as she tried to verbally one-up him reminded her why she had worked so hard to revive her technique since coming to Konoha.

She wasn't a helpless nine-year-old child anymore. The breath of dragons flowed through her body, unfettered and uninhibited by lack of knowledge or skill. She was an experienced wielder of the Ryukaze and as such, she would do what she was born to do: protect her own.

For once she did not argue with Neji over money. This was his gift to her, his only means of support and comfort and she would not disrespect that…not when she knew she might never come back.

She was as ready as she was going to be, her weapons prepared, her necessities packed, her hair washed…but rest would not find her. It was already late and the other members of her team were probably fast asleep in anticipation of their departure at dawn. It would be like any other mission to them, to seek and eliminate the enemy as they have done a hundred times before. They didn't realize it wouldn't end there.

Once the Daimyo saw that she could not be bought, broken, or manipulated, he would waste no time on speculation. Only a fool would leave a weapon as dangerous as her in the hands of the enemy. She wondered how much time she had to work with before her name hit every Bingo book from Lightening to Wind.

_"You must attack swiftly and without mercy. Give your enemy no time to react. This is the secret of Ryukaze."_

Her father's words never left her. Even then, when she could not even manage a Substitution jutsu, he held faith that she possessed the gift of the Guardian.

_"Every tempest begins as a summer breeze."_

Running a frustrated hand through her damp hair, Sorano stared blankly at her bed, her body and mind exhausted but ignorant to the call of sleep. Maybe she should have asked Neji to stay with her. She always found rest when he was near, but neither did she want to be a distraction. As team captain he had his own preparations to see to before their departure and she didn't want his mind clouded with concern for her.

So she chose the next best thing.

* * *

His first order of business as Hokage was to order Sasuke to take Sakura-chan on a date, a **real **date, with flowers and candlelight and something sweet and sugary for dessert. Then he went right up to Hyuuga Hiashi, stared him straight in those creepy Byakugan eyes, and demanded Hinata's hand in marriage. The stoic Head of the Hyuuga Clan immediately agreed, intimidated by his unparalleled strength and sheer awesomeness as a ninja.

Hinata, of course, was overcome with delight and he kissed her on the lips until she blushed every shade of pink and red known to man. And to celebrate their engagement, Ichiraku Ramen declared every Friday as a free ramen day. He was on his eighth bowl when he registered the sharp poking in his side.

Batting half-heartedly at it, he returned his attention back to his ramen, but the poking persisted, a whispered voice finally penetrating his dream.

"Move over, Naruto."

The whiskered blonde reflexively shifted away from the poking, his eyes cracking open wearily and with faint annoyance. It was such a good dream too!

"Ne, Sorano-chan?" he blinked sleepily at the woman crawling into his bed once he made enough room.

"Go back to sleep," she said as she turned her back to him and sunk her head into his pillow, pulling the blanket tightly around her tense shoulders.

Naruto blinked curiously at her for a moment before understanding softened his gaze. He couldn't imagine what it must feel like to watch the people you love most die in front of you at such a young age. Sasuke had always worn his pain like visible armor against the world, but Sorano had been far less obvious. The similarities between her and the Uchiha Avenger were startling, even more so since she had followed her path to completion.

But Sorano was a kind and gentle soul. There must have been precious little of her heart left in the aftermath of revenge. It was obvious Konoha really was her last chance for life. Had they turned her away, she would not have survived her own condemnation. She had come to them as nothing more than a shell, hanging to hope by a thread. He would allow no one to destroy that as long as breath remained in his body.

Rolling onto his side, Naruto gently wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her snugly against his chest. Almost instantly her anxiety deflated in the security of his embrace. Her hair was still damp and tickled his nose, but he cared only that she found the comfort and encouragement she needed, even if it meant giving up half of his bed.

"Don't drool on me," she whispered suddenly and he chuckled softly.

"Go to sleep, Sorano-chan. We have some major butt-kicking ahead of us."

There were no sweeter words to sing her to sleep.

* * *

To my happy-go-lucky readers:

**ValiantToasters- **I don't like blood and torture stuff either. That scene was hard to write because I had to show how far Sorano was willing to go to protect the people she cares about (she is not a fan of torture either) but without getting all too nasty. In truth, she hardly even scratched the guy, but suggestion goes a long way towards persuasion which is what she was aiming for.

**Lil'rockgirl-** It's cool you picked up on how Sorano only needed to imply what she would do to get the guy to talk. That was her whole intent from the start.

**AvidReaderAlso- **I figured it was only fair that Sorano had a summon animal that was more, eh, travel capable. As one can assume, the Clan Guardian is considerably larger and specifically a Guardian so it isn't something that can be summoned easily or frequently. The next chapter details a little more about her connection with Huntress. Also, I can't really see Neji desiring ruthlessness as a dominant quality in his girl so I thought it was only fair that he would feel uncertain about what Sorano was doing. I believe he is still getting used to this more dangerous side of her as it has only been recently revealed.

**Pixiedust8831-** I'm one of those people who thinks everything should have a meaning and importance in a story, especially when it coincides with the culture and Japanese culture values the language of flowers. I think it definitely gives the story a stronger sense of completeness. Yes, the eagle is a family thing. As was explained in this chapter (though I was vague about some things for a reason) Sorano is a Wind elemental as was her family and birds are also Wind elementals which is why they have such a strong bond. While Sorano can speak telepathically with Huntress and see through her eyes because of the contract/bond they made, she also can understand the whistles and calls of other birds as well. I mention this very briefly in the next chapter.

**Also **thanks to **grand admiral chelli, arrowgirl23, moogle in paradaisu, agirlwithnolife, star, mimi, xKillerxShinobix, Bonita, and MustBeEmo **for your wonderful reviews.

What's this…a hospital bill? One hundred and forty-two concussions?! Come on! I didn't throw the sunblock **that** hard. This is highway robbery, I tell you! Um…can I pay in anime plushies?


	33. Unforgivable Sin

A/N- To avoid confusion, the first two scenes, though told from different perspectives, are actually occurring at the same time. I'm sorry if it feels choppy, I just couldn't wrap my poor brain around how to make it better.

Enjoy!

Standard Disclaimer Applies.

**Unforgivable Sin**

**Chapter 33**

The weight of the kunai pouch strapped to her right thigh felt comfortable, but Sorano was still trying to adjust to the feel of the two blades strapped to her back beneath her pack. She had spent the previous day practicing her draw and found it just as smooth and swift as it had been years before, but there was an uncertainty in her grip, discomfort with the intent of the wakizashi. Was she ready to take another life, even if it was for the defense of those she loved?

Such doubt and uncertainty could cost her life and that of her teammates. There was no room for hesitation in battle "_Attack swiftly and without mercy_." It wasn't until her father died that she truly understood why. She showed no mercy towards those responsible and her thirst for revenge was satiated, leaving her empty and loathing the monster she had become.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the direction her thoughts were taking, she forced her focus onto the here and now. Their team of four stepped through the gates of Konoha before sunlight even broke the sky. She resisted the urge to look back one last time, not wanting to alarm the others with her unease.

They moved with a single-minded swiftness for several hours and each step that brought them closer to the enemy, the colder Sorano began to feel. It was a warning she recognized a moment too late.

She skidded to a halt so fast Naruto slammed into her back.

"Oomph," he grunted, grabbing her shoulders to steady himself. "Why'd you stop? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure," she said.

Neji frowned at her and activated his Byakugan. "I cannot detect any chakra signatures outside of our own."

Sorano trusted Neji's blood limit, she really did, but she **knew** something was wrong. "Traps?" she asked.

"No, nothing."

Sorano glanced back at Sasuke who only shrugged, confirming that she was the only one feeling off.

"Sorry," she said as she met Neji's gaze. "I'm just…I don't know."

Naruto gently squeezed her shoulder. "It's all right, Sorano-chan."

"Let's keep moving," Neji said.

Sorano nodded, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. They continued to travel in silence for several more minutes before it finally hit her.

"No birds," she said suddenly as she halted again. Naruto's arms pin wheeled to keep from running into her again.

"What?"

Sorano met Neji's confused gaze evenly. "There aren't any birds. It's too quiet."

Neji had left his Byakugan active, trusting that there was more to Sorano's feeling than pre-battle jitters, but he still couldn't detect any foreign chakra signatures or traps. In fact, he couldn't detect _any_ chakra signatures, not even passive ones from animals.

Seeing Neji's eyes narrow sharply, Sorano felt her fears confirmed. Biting her thumb, she quickly formed hand signs and slammed her hand against the tree. "Ninja art: Summoning Jutsu!"

Over the pounding of her heart, she heard Naruto's confusion.

"Ne, Sorano-chan, nothing happened."

* * *

They were making good time and not even Sorano was showing any signs of slowing up. Sasuke couldn't deny that there had always been something about her that made him uncomfortable, an understanding in her eyes that never should have been there. No one could truly understand his pain, his loss. After his family was slaughtered, he became an object of pity and gossip and he loathed it. He wanted to scream every time someone tried to tell him they knew how he felt. There was even a time he wanted everyone to experience first hand the depths of his pain even if he was the one to cause it.

But Sorano really did know. Perhaps she was the only one who ever would. She had followed to the end the same path he had chosen, but she wasn't any happier for it. In fact, it seemed as if the act of revenge had shattered all that remained of her soul. Should it not have absolved her pain?

It happened so suddenly he barely had time to activate his Sharingan. Sasuke caught himself on the next branch in time to see his three teammates tumble to the ground, trapped in the genjutsu. A furious hail of shuriken rained down on him from every direction and he jumped back with a sharp curse. They kept him moving on the defensive, twisting and dodging, with no chance of retaliation.

He winced when two slipped through his defense and nicked his arm and thigh. The poison struck his system with lightning speed and he stumbled, exposing his shoulder to a deeper blow. The impact shoved him off the branch and Sasuke hit the ground hard and fast, his head cracking sharply on a root.

* * *

"Genjutsu?" Naruto scratched his head. "But Sasuke's Sharingan would have seen through that."

They all turned and looked at the dark-eyed shinobi who merely blinked at them.

"He probably did," Sorano said. "Most of what we see here is of our own making, including Sasuke."

"His chakra signature is real," Neji said with furrowed brows.

"Because you want and expect it to be," Sorano said as she glanced around their surroundings. It was a solid illusion, the transition into it absolutely seamless, and none of them would have ever noticed if not for one little detail.

"Birds are elemental creatures," she explained. "I can always feel their presence and many times understand what they say because we are both of the Wind, but the Genjutsu has blocked the connection."

"Which is why you can't summon Huntress," Neji realized.

"Okay, so we break it," Naruto said as he fished out a kunai. He had always had trouble with dispelling genjutsu attacks, but Sakura once told him physical pain could do the same thing.

Sorano grabbed his hand before he could stab himself. "That's not going to work."

"It always has before," Naruto said.

"She's right, Naruto," Neji sighed in frustration. "Think about what we were doing before we were hit with the illusion."

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Running…"

"In the trees," Sorano finished for him as she released his hand. "If a twelve foot drop to the ground didn't wake us up, stabbing yourself won't do it either."

Naruto scowled and tucked the weapon back into his pouch. "So what do we do?"

Sorano slumped down onto the branch. "This illusion isn't designed to cause pain, only distraction. Time passes differently here, which means hours could have gone by in the time it took us to realize this isn't real."

"They were waiting for us," Neji growled. "How could they have known we were even coming?"

"They couldn't," Sorano said. "There was no way they could have sighted Huntress from that distance and even if they did, she would have been nothing more than a speck to their eyes, just another bird in the clouds."

Naruto stroked his chin in thought. "Does anyone besides us know you can summon her?" he asked curiously. "If they did they would have expected you to use her to follow the prisoner back to their camp, even if they couldn't see her."

Sorano shook her head. "Huntress didn't bond with me until I was eleven and by then everyone who knew the details of the bond of Wind were dead. I didn't share my secrets with any…one…" She faded off as a memory washed over her like ice cold water. True, she had never spoken of her secrets…but that didn't mean no one observed them in action.

"Oh, no," she whispered just seconds before she felt her stomach lurch and the world blurred before her eyes.

Colors swirled violently and she squeezed her eyes shut to ease the pain and sensation of falling until she felt the cold hard reality beneath her body. Snapping her eyes open, she was greeted with an expected, but unpleasant sight.

Her hands were bound tightly behind her with chakra strings, but it was the floor beneath her that drew her immediate attention. Even if she had fought a hundred ninja while trapped in the illusion, she never would have felt this exhausted, this weak. The floor, or more precisely something in the floor, was sapping her chakra dry.

Hearing a muffled groan, she turned her head to see both Naruto and Neji had also returned to reality. They too were chakra bound, but at least they were conscious, unlike Sasuke.

She had harbored the hope that Sasuke would have been able to escape, even bring reinforcements. He was an Uchiha and not everyone knew of the Sharingan's resistance to genjutsu. Obviously, that wasn't enough. Her eyes took count of a number of shallow cuts on his arms and legs and a deeper wound on his shoulder. There was blood crusted in his hair and on his forehead as well, but the black fluid oozing from his injuries indicated the ultimate cause of his capture.

"Sasuke's been poisoned," she said, her voice echoing softly in the small room.

"It'll take more than that to keep him down," Naruto snorted, but she could still hear the concern in his voice.

"Shut up, dobe," said Uchiha grunted without opening his eyes.

"You're awake," Sorano breathed with relief. Sasuke cracked open one eye to look at her before closing it again. The pain had been clearly visible, but she refrained from saying anything more. They had to find a way out, but without the use of their chakra, let alone not even knowing where they were or how many of the enemy remained…

Neji managed to work his way onto his knees while Naruto still struggled, comically imitating a bug stuck on its back.

"This room is consuming our chakra," Neji murmured as he tested his bonds and glanced around their confinement. He had no idea how long they had been there, but he already felt nearly depleted. The rest of his team didn't look any better.

Sorano remained slumped on the ground across from them, making no effort to move. The fact that she had been placed separate from her three companions despite the small size of the room only confirmed her suspicions about the outcome. She knew now what had gone wrong.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Huffing and puffing, Naruto finally got himself onto his knees. "Ne, ne, don't say that, Sorano-chan. This is just a little set-back."

"Don't wait for me," she said, ignoring Naruto's efforts to reassure her. "Get out while you can. I'm not worth it."

"That's enough, Sorano," Neji snapped a little harsher than he intended. This fatalistic attitude wasn't like her. Why was she so ready to give up?

A sharp squeak of metal hinges drew his attention to the door. Three men walked in, pausing to stand just behind Sorano's prone body. If looks could kill they would have been dust to the wind, but the foremost man was only amused.

"A Hyuuga, an Uchiha, and a loudmouth no name," he purred.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted indignantly.

"You keep interesting company these days, Sorano," the man ignored him, looking down at the woman at his feet whose dull eyes remained locked on her three teammates.

"My standards have improved," she murmured. "Raidon."

Neji knew how to hate. He spent most of his childhood hating the Main House of the Hyuuga Clan for taking his father from him and enslaving the Branch House to its will. It was a cold, seething hatred that remained coiled in a tight knot deep in his heart. It was a hatred he carefully tended, a tightly controlled power.

There was nothing controlled or cold about what he was feeling now.

Fire consumed him nearly blinding his sight as he glowered at the man who had manipulated and betrayed the woman he loved and shattered her trust in people. He once vowed to kill this man should their paths ever cross. No amount of chakra drain was going to keep him from doing just that.

Raidon, for his part, was highly entertained by the vehement glares he was receiving. Sorano had changed since they last spoke. His spies had informed him that not only did she make attachments, but some of those attachments were with the finest shinobi bloodlines in the world. There were no reports on a broken, reclusive woman full of self-loathing and grief. Sorano had regained her confidence, enough so that instead of running, she came right to them, along with two of Konoha's finest.

"Get him up," he ordered his men and one of them walked over and jerked Sasuke up onto his knees by his hair, uncaring of the sharp gasp of pain escaping the injured nin.

"I have to thank you for your gift, Sorano," Raidon said as he kneeled and pulled her up onto her knees with considerable more gentleness. "A lot of people will pay good money for the secrets of the Sharingan and the Byakugan. You have made me a rich man."

Sorano refused to answer or even look at him as he stood and walked around her.

"Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you," Naruto growled.

Raidon smirked. "I've only just begun," he said. "I'm surprised the three of you were caught so easily, but then," he turned back to Sorano and gently touched her cheek. She jerked away but it only amused him more. "She is so easy to trust. Such an innocent looking thing, isn't she?"

He slowly paced behind her and leaned down to whisper loudly in her ear, his hot breath brushing against her neck. "Did you tell them who you really are?"

Sorano leaned away from him, and for the first time since he entered the room, met his familiar eyes with a heated glare.

Raidon threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, this is priceless."

"Look, pal," Naruto snarled. "When I get loose, you're going to be in a world of hurt!"

"So quick to defend her," Raidon sighed. "I wonder if you would feel the same way if you knew the truth about sweet little Sorano."

"The words of a dead man mean nothing."

Raidon raised a brow at the Hyuuga genius. His words dripped with venom and his quicksilver eyes glowed with murderous intent. Not even the blonde had such heat in his glare and the Uchiha was just barely staying conscious.

"Oh, now this is interesting," Raidon murmured with glee. "How do you do it, Sorano? Men fall so easily in love with you, don't they?"

Sorano hazard a glance at Neji, but could not bear the raw heat in his eyes. They were going to die because she was foolish enough to trust this man once upon a time. This time, there was no running away.

"You talk too much," Sasuke muttered through the pain searing his insides.

"The Uchiha finally speaks," Raidon chuckled. "Tell me, Sorano, is he your lover too? Does he know what you did?"

Panic seized her heart in its icy claws and her lungs struggled to breathe. It couldn't end like this! She didn't want them to die knowing…

"I can't imagine why you didn't tell him," Raidon said as he toyed with a lock of her hair. "I mean, from one Avenger to another."

"You are really starting to annoy me," Naruto growled, straining at his bindings.

Raidon pointedly ignored him. "But there is one small difference between you isn't there, dear Sorano."

_Don't, please! Kami, not like this…_

"The Uchiha is the survivor of his clan, while you," he leaned over and whispered loudly beside her ear, "You are the **slayer** of your clan."

* * *

To my sweet, gentle, patient, non-violent, ever loving readers:

**Runjumpfly07-** Sorano and Neji's "couple" status is accepted by both of them as well as all of Konoha. Remember Naruto told her all of Anbu knows she "belongs to Neji" and Sorano has made it clear, in her own subtle way, that she feels differently about Neji compared to everyone else. He is the only one she confides in about her past and he is the only one she allowed to kiss her. Just because someone doesn't come right out and say "we are a couple" or "we are dating" doesn't mean they aren't. Neji also is being cautious about such things because he doesn't want to scare her off.

**ValiantToasters-** I find it is very important to make sure all of your details blend as seamlessly as possible, so yes I do research for all of my stories, even for the tiny details like what flowers and names mean just to give the story a bit more flavor for those who happen to catch those details.

**Just One-** Oh boy. That's a lot of questions. (takes a deep breath) Okay, here goes nothing…1) Huntress is **not** the clan guardian. Hint in ch 32: Sorano said the clan guardian is "a beast of terrible power and the _source_ of our elemental gifts". There are a lot of obscure references regarding this _source_ but the biggest one of all is Sorano's gift, her blood limit, Ryukaze. Huntress is Sorano's personal summon creature, much like Pakkun is Kakashi's.

2) I can't tell you who will or won't die because that gives too much away.

3) _"How did the Ryuusen Clan go from no association with the Hidden Rock to personal assassins of the Daimyo?"_ Usually this is where you are supposed to use your imagination, but I shall take pity on you and give you the back story. Here's some Naruto trivia. Remember each Hidden Village is self-governing and acts as the military force for the country it lives in. However there are instances, like with the Land of Wind, where the Daimyo will hire outside shinobi to work for him instead of relying on his Hidden Village. Now, regarding the Ryuusen Clan, they had to make a living somehow, but since they did not want to pledge loyalty to another Hidden Village, they hired out as rogue nin at first and eventually caught the Daimyo's notice (this happened over several generations so it was a different Daimyo at the time than the one Sorano is dealing with right now). Only the Ryuusen Wind (those with the wind elemental blood limit of Ryukaze) acted as assassins. The Ryuusen Fire, because of being more destructive and powerful jutsu-wise, acted more often as bodyguards or in other capacities the Daimyo required. They were a free clan, so their loyalty to the Daimyo was by individual oath and Sorano never made such an oath, unlike her father.

4) Sorano's power was latent because she had no real desire or need to develop it at the time.

5) Who did Sorano kill to avenge her family and how many? The number will remain unknown and as you can see, we are just getting into the "who" part of the mystery.

6) _"Ryukaze: Dragon – fire, wind – well, wind?" _No and yes. Ryukaze is the specific blood limit of the Ryuusen Wind. The Ryuusen Fire have a different blood limit that is strictly fire based (Ryuhono-o meaning Dragon Flame). The meaning of Ryukaze is actually very literal. So since you got the "wind" part right, take a wild guess what the "dragon" part represents. Also, look to my reply to your first question about the clan guardian. Is it starting to click yet? As a side note, did you know that Japanese dragons are usually water elementals? This explains Sorano's affinity for water based jutsu as well though it was not a result of the guardian's gift.

7) I did mention before that Tsunade knew Sorano's parents very well. Remember, when Tsunade left Konoha she had traveled a great deal and in this time was when she encountered Sorano's family. That could be a whole nother story entirely, so suffice it to say that though Sorano was young at the time, she knew exactly who Tsunade was when she met her again (photographic memory, remember) and she knew Tsunade owed her father a life debt and was the only person she could trust absolutely, so yes, she did tell Tsunade everything that happened which is why Tsunade wanted her to come to Konoha so badly and why she put her in Naruto's path. _"He has a way with damaged people."_

8) Sorano's status within the clan is a great deal like Hinata's (one reason why she likes Hinata so much) in that her father was the Head of the Clan and she was the heir. (Sorano had no siblings). Her clan was more concerned about her being strong enough to protect and lead the clan than with her being an assassin to the Daimyo, but the two sort of went hand in hand since the Daimyo's continued favor ensured the clan both work and wealth. Also, she needed to be strong enough to summon the Clan Guardian since only a member of the Ryuusen Wind possesses this ability (more info on that later). The logical path was to follow in her father's footsteps. However, Sorano never vowed loyalty to the Daimyo and thus never served him. She was nine years old when her family died and when she left the Land of Earth.

Yeash. I didn't think I would have to spell so much of it out. Yes, I will fill in all of the gaps before the story is over and no, Sorano is not in the Bingo book yet. However, she expects the Daimyo will soon put a price on her head if he is unable to capture her. (Sweet ramen that was a long review!)

**Akai-sora**- Neither Sorano nor Naruto mention her staying with him to anyone and it isn't necessary to. In Ch 17 when Sorano goes to sleep in Neji's bed after she was captured in the Fire Daimyo's palace, Neji reflects on the fact that most kunoichi go to Naruto for comfort because he has that brotherly air about him. Sorano frequently has nightmares because of her inability to forget (seeing your family slaughtered in front of you is a bit traumatic), and since they were on the eve of confronting the enemies of her past and (as you can see in this chapter) possibly revealing the rest of her own, it's understandable that she was having trouble sleeping and needed some reassurance that she was not alone.

**Jajalang-** Sorano didn't want the others to realize that eliminating the Rock-nin that came after her would not solve the problem. She knows that once the enemy realizes she cannot be controlled, their plan will swiftly change to eliminating her all together. If the others knew this, they would not have allowed her to go because she would be essentially walking right into the hands of the enemy…which is basically what has happened anyway. Itachi only plays the part of association, how his relationship with Sasuke affects Sasuke's relationship with Sorano because there are so many parallels between the two Avengers. Um, _how_ the guardian is summoned isn't all that important but suffice it to say it requires a **lot** of chakra.

**AvidReaderAlso-** You kind of have it a little backwards. The nature of the Ryuusen Clan (both wind and fire) is not actually a result of their dual origin from the Lands of Wind and Fire though some of their jutsus are influenced by this. The founding ninja of the Ryuusen clan actually possessed no blood limits at all. The dual nature of the Ryuusen Clan is a direct result of the Guardian himself. In her little story, Sorano says, "To the matron of the Ryuusen Clan was born twin sons. One was _blessed_ with an affinity for fire, the other for wind. From _these_ came the dual nature of the Ryuusen Clan." Sorano also refers to the Guardian as "the source of our elemental gifts." So in reality, it was the Guardian's blessing that awarded the Ryuusen clan with its dual blood limits of wind and fire which then separated into two "Houses" within the same Clan. Sorano doesn't go into detail because Clan secrets are still Clan secrets.

Huntress is Sorano's personal summon creature and the only bird she has a telepathic connection with. She can understand other birds but can't speak directly with them nor see through their eyes.

**Also **thanks to **kirei hana35, SilverMononoke, Lobo-Chan, VixentheHellraizer, moogle in paradaisu, TeenAnimeLover, Kayli, Spazzed108, Samecca, FoxLuvr, and xtraenergy266 **for your wonderful reviews. My apologies for not responding directly to everyone. As you can see, there were a lot of questions asked of me this time and I'm feeling a bit brain dead as it is.


	34. The Innocence of Monsters

A/N- At least half of those who reviewed, and probably half of the chibi shy shadow readers, have put all of the previous clues together and thus were not surprised by the revelation in the last chapter. That is so cool. It means I'm doing my job well. For those who had a bit of trouble with the connection, maybe this chapter will help in clarifying things a little bit.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money on this…but I have received a number of death threats for the previous cliffhanger. Ah, life is good.

**The Innocence of Monsters**

**Chapter 34**

Sorano felt as if a sword had been driven through her heart, twisted, and ripped back out. Unable to face the betrayal and hatred in their eyes, she kept hers to the ground, tears of pain and memory brimming to the surface. There was no defense to be made. Every word Raidon said was true and they had rung loud and clear within the confines of the room. The deafening silence that followed was far more condemning than words could ever be. Maybe this would be enough for them to abandon her and focus on saving their own lives. It was the only comfort she could hold onto, knowing all hope for absolution was dead. She was a fool to have ever dared to believe in it.

"Such a shame, really," Raidon sighed as he walked over to one of his men who held out a small box to him. "The Ryuusen Clan was Nogitarou-sama's own personal shinobi army. It was a great loss when your father was killed, since he was the Daimyo's best assassin, but it was a necessary sacrifice to obtain the absolute allegiance of the Ryuusen Fire. They did not possess the speed and stealth of the Wind, but their power was astonishing and their numbers far greater."

He flipped open the box and pulled out a syringe. Gently squeezing the end, he smiled at the liquid shooting out of the needle. "Everyone thought you were dead too, until you came back seven years later and single-handedly wiped out every last one of the Ryuusen Clan. Impressive."

Raidon walked back and pulled her sleeve up to her shoulder. Her head remained bowed in shame, white silk shading her eyes and the tears that dripped silently onto the ground. "It's time to come home and pay for your sins, Sorano," he said as he sunk the needle into her arm. "There's no place for a clan slayer in Konoha."

She felt the effects of the drug quickly, and having barely any chakra to purge it, she slumped to the floor under its influence. Her vision was already beginning to fade when she finally raised her bleary eyes to shocked silver, disbelieving blue, and tortured obsidian. She did not care if they left her to her fate, would rather they did to save their own lives. She was not worth saving. But she willed them, willed _him,_ to know one thing.

"Sometimes to destroy a monster," she whispered as darkness settled over her, "you must become one."

* * *

Raidon gently picked up the unconscious woman and cradled her in his arms. Casting a victorious smirk at the three stunned ninja, he turned on his heal and walked to the door. "Let the room bleed them dry," he tossed over his shoulder. "Harvest the Uchiha's eyes, kill the blonde, keep the Hyuuga alive…for now."

The door closed behind them with sharp finality leaving the three Leaf jonin to await their fate in silence, staring at the damp trail Sorano's tears left on the cold concrete floor.

"She…didn't even try to deny it," Naruto whispered.

"She cannot lie to us," Neji murmured. And she never had. All the pieces were there, they just had to put them together. The regret, the self-loathing, the grief that never faded… The answer was there in her very own words.

"_It took my mother three hours to die."_

"_They made me watch."_

"_There was unrest within the clan."_

"_My blood was diluted with that of a commoner."_

"…_too weak to take my father's place."_

"…_control me…control the Guardian."_

The static chirping of a thousand birds shattered the silence and Neji turned sharply towards the brilliant blue glow of chakra. A strangled scream of agony ripped from Sasuke's throat as he blasted his bindings with Chidori, the violent explosion slamming him to the ground.

Naruto and Neji stared wide-eyed at their comrade's crumpled form in stunned silence.

"Holy Hokage," Naruto whispered. "You better not be dead, Sasuke!"

Sasuke grunted, though it sounded more like a choked gasp. There couldn't possibly be anything that hurt more than this. He felt as if half his soul had been torn from his body with all of his breath. Forcing every last shred of his chakra into Chidori could have killed him but it seemed like such a tiny risk when all he could think of, all he could see, was desperate pain in cerulean eyes.

But now he couldn't even move. His entire left arm was numb and his muscles were screaming, wave after wave of agony threatening to sweep away his consciousness. The poison in his system wouldn't kill him, but it was making it hard to think clearly let alone move. He probably should have waited for Naruto to summon the Kyuubi's chakra to free himself, but he personally was never good with waiting on anyone when he knew exactly what he wanted and needed to do.

So now he faced the problem of how to cut his comrades loose when he had no weapons and couldn't even move from his face plant on the chakra-sucking floor.

Naruto and Neji were being awful quiet and he was beginning to worry, because that wasn't like Naruto, until he heard the squeaking of hinges followed by two separate pairs of steps.

"What's all the racket…oh. Look's like the Uchiha did himself in," a gravelly voice spoke from over his limp form. "Haruka, go get the surgical box. Might as well take his eyes now."

Behind his closed eyelids, Sasuke placed what he couldn't see. Naruto had been to his immediate left, and judging from the sound of his voice, the man standing over him was placed about two feet in front of the blonde. The second man, Haruka, had left the door open on his departure and his steps could clearly be heard receding down the hall.

A hard boot kicked him, sending ripples of pain through his inflamed body, but he remained limp and silent as the dead while he was pushed onto his back.

"Not so cocky now, eh," the man chuckled. "Wonder how much we'll get for them fancy eyes of yours."

"Why are you people so obsessed with Sasuke? He's not **that** great," Naruto whined.

The man turned with amusement to the annoyed blonde. "Jealous, no name?"

"Pfft! Of him? Don't make me gag!"

The man's laughter was cut off sharply when something hard struck him in the back, throwing him forward onto the blonde shinobi. Naruto leaped up and slammed his shoulder into the man's gut with every ounce of fury in his body. A gurgled gasp was sweet music to his ears and the smell of fresh blood teased his heightened sense of smell as the man slumped unconscious over him. With a shrug, the man slid off his shoulder and crumpled to the ground.

"Did you have to insult me, dobe," Sasuke rasped with barely a hint of annoyance. The effort it took to kick the man forward had made his vision blurred, but his hearing remained quite clear.

"It's not like I lied," Naruto said with a grin as he twisted awkwardly to fish out a kunai from the man's pouch.

"You can squabble latter," Neji said. "The other one will be coming back soon."

Naruto sliced through his bonds and freed Neji before levering Sasuke up onto his feet amidst some very creative cursing. Neji salvaged the enemy's weapons pouch until they could locate their own belongings. But first, they needed to get away from the chakra draining room and determine what kind of danger Sasuke was in from the poison that had been flowing freely through his body since they were captured.

Pain sliced through his head when Neji activated his Byakugan for just long enough to determine the hall was clear and there was a room just a few yards away that would suffice for their temporary regrouping.

"This way," he waved them forward and Naruto half dragged, half carried Sasuke after him.

"That other guy is going to come back soon. We need to take him out before he can alert anyone else," Naruto said once he eased Sasuke down in a corner of the supply closet they took refuge in.

"How bad is it," Neji asked, pointedly looking at Sasuke.

"I copied one of Sakura's poison extraction techniques with Sharingan a while ago." Sasuke managed to keep his voice even and free of the pain smothering his senses, but the pinched frown between his eyes told Neji the man was struggling to do that much. "I just need to recover some chakra before I can use it."

"Do you have that kind of time?" Naruto asked worriedly.

"If it was suppose to kill me, I would already be dead," Sasuke said as he leaned his head against the wall behind him and winced with the motion. "They chose speed over potency."

Naruto tilted his head up suddenly, sniffing the air. "That guy is coming back." He jumped up with a grin. "This one's on me."

Neji jerked his head towards the door in silent confirmation and Naruto left to tie up the loose end. Naruto always healed faster than them with the Kyuubi's bottomless chakra to replenish his own. Neji guessed he was well on his way to full recovery. He would need a bit longer himself, but he was already feeling stronger.

Activating his Byakugan, he ignored the flurry of movement that could only be Naruto and his opponent to focus on their surroundings. They were in some sort of underground complex, which mean they weren't anywhere near Konoha. The camp they were supposed to attack was obviously temporary. Anbu would have known if there was something this elaborate so close to the village.

It was surprisingly lacking in personnel. He attributed this to Raidon's overconfidence, thinking they never would have been able to escape when chakra bound and with the room sucking them dry. To be honest, the odds were far from being in their favor, but there was no accounting for sheer stubbornness and all three of them had that in spades.

There was an unusual concentration of chakra in one wing of the complex, blocking his perception of individual chakra signatures. Somehow he knew that's where Sorano would be.

Neji felt physically sick from the intense emotions churning inside him. Now was not the time to be analyzing feelings, but not even he could deny the impact they had on a shinobi, regardless of past experience or the mission. With men like him, Sasuke, and Naruto, anger flamed hotter, pain burned deeper, and words like those of Raidon only served to unleash an inferno.

They each volunteered for this mission for the sole purpose of protecting someone they believed to be one of them despite her lack of rank. Having heard the explicit details of Sorano's past and the reason why the Earth Country was so adamant on retrieving her had only solidified their determination to succeed.

But Raidon's revelation of her darkest secret, her self-proclaimed unforgivable sin, had ripped open old wounds that still bled beneath the surface. Suddenly this mission had become very, **very,** personal.

Making a quick mental map of the complex, Neji drew his focus back to their immediate surroundings. Naruto had locked both men in the cell and was on his way back and Sasuke…

Neji narrowed his eyes. "You really did a number on your chakra pathways with that stunt you pulled," he said as he scanned the Uchiha's inner coil system. Sasuke cracked his eyes open as Neji deactivated his Byakugan and wearily rubbed his temples.

"Is it irreparable?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing Sakura can't handle." Everyone knew Sasuke wouldn't let any other medic-nin touch him.

Both looked up when Naruto silently entered the room and closed the door behind him. "That was a major disappointment," he huffed as he folded his arms. "So now what?"

"We're in an underground complex, but the personnel is sparse," Neji laid it out for them. "There's a concentration of chakra in one corner I want to investigate. It's possible there might be some guards there that I can't place, but I'm certain that's where we will find Raidon and Sorano."

Naruto stared at him grimly and then both looked at Sasuke. Not a word had been shared between the three of them about the sordid tale of betrayal they had recently learned. Neji had managed to put the pieces of his many conversations with Sorano together and it looked like Naruto had too, but as for the third member of their team?

Sasuke's eyes were closed again, eyebrows drawn sharply in pain. Raidon had taken immense delight in telling him the true depth of Sorano's revenge for it was no small secret how Sasuke felt about his brother, the slayer of the Uchiha Clan.

"_Sometimes to destroy a monster…"_

"I hate her eyes," Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth.

"_Sometimes…"_

"Too much pain. Too much…"

"_You must become one." _

Sasuke sighed wearily. "Too much like me." He chuckled then, deep, grating, with grim humor as he met their wary stares with half-wild eyes. "Guess I'm lucky I only have to kill **one **blood relative."

Naruto cocked his head with a slight, teasing grin. "Does that mean she's stronger than you?"

Sasuke snorted and winced.

"Cause if you think about it, I mean she had a whole clan full of traitors to take out," Naruto tapped his chin thoughtfully. "That's like, what, ten to one at the least!"

"Just help me up, idiot," Sasuke growled, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he had just asked for help and from Naruto of all people.

Neji shook his head with a faint, relieved smile. One could say nothing had changed, but that would be a lie. This mission wasn't about eliminating a threat to their friend and their village anymore. It was about saving a woman that had come to mean more to them then words could ever hope to explain.

"Naruto, take point. Sasuke, conserve your chakra at all costs," Neji ordered, his voice cold with intent. "We will locate our supplies after we retrieve Sorano and eliminate the target." He handed the kunai pouch he had taken from the enemy to Sasuke who took it without complaint. He was the one with the most limited defense at the time.

"Leave no survivors," Neji said as he turned to the door, "but Raidon is mine."

* * *

To my forgiving readers:

**Kayli-** I love your description of Raidon's methods. _"It's like watching flood waters rise and you know you can't stop it, it's slow and steady; but you know that in the end you can't do anything but watch as the water destroys and it's going to suck by the end of the flood. That feeling, the unstoppable power, is conveyed through Raidon's speech."_ You'll see how completely accurate this is in the next chapter and why Sorano is completely powerless against him. I often find the gentle villain is far more frightening than the outright evil one.

In a later chapter Sorano tells Neji how and why she was able to escape from her parents' killers and through this and the perspective of others (mainly her enemies) you'll see that Sorano's revenge was very calculated. After all, she was only nine when her parents were killed and at that time, she had no real shinobi skill. Despite the similarities she has with Itachi (which I'm glad you caught that reference) she ultimately feels the bond with Sasuke in that both of them are motivated by the need for justice and once Sasuke achieves his revenge, he too will be, in a sense, a clan slayer like her since Itachi is the last of the Uchihas. Her greatest fear was that Sasuke would not realize this.

**Xtraenergy266-** It would seem that about half of those who reviewed (and by proxy probably half that read and didn't) didn't see the slayer thing coming while the other half did. I'm sure the next time you read through this story as a whole you will notice all of the clues laced throughout hinting at this moment. There are quite a lot of them actually, but I can see how they can be easily missed when reading chapter by chapter. I write my stories so that every detail is linked in some way, that way once I am finished posting people can enjoy reading it over and over, each time finding something new to enjoy.

**Crystalline Dream-** It wasn't that Sasuke was distracted but rather so _many_ weapons were being thrown at him from so many directions that a few of them nicked him and the effects of the poison was instantaneous as the enemy knew they had to disable him as quickly as possible. It was the poison that caused him to stumble and thus expose himself to taking an injury in the shoulder.

**KinKitsune01-** Actually, Huntress is quite small for an eagle. A female Bald Eagle has an average wingspan of seven feet whereas Huntress is just over five. By no means does that make her a small bird though, just a smaller eagle. Huntress is not a Bald Eagle, but I am using them as a reference for comparison. Most notably is their eyesight. A Bald Eagle can see something as small as a rabbit from as far as two miles away which is pretty handy considering that they spend most of their time flying in thermal winds which are pretty far up there in the sky. So you can see it would have been a simple thing for Huntress to be as much as a mile in the sky (making her appear small) and still be able to follow the enemy on the ground with ease.

**VixentheHellraizer-** The next chapter shows in a bit more detail how Raidon's genjutsu works. (yes he was the one responsible for it). But for now, suffice it to say that the genjutsu preys on the victim's expectations. Since the group was unaware of when the genjutsu struck them, they had no reason to believe Sasuke _wouldn't_ be there until they realized none of what they were seeing was real. So the Sasuke they saw in the genjutsu was only an illusion.

**Also **arigato, muchas gracias, xìexie nĭmen, and thanks to **desired-moonlight, lil'rockgirl, silvermononoke, TeenAnimeLover, AvidReaderAlso, FoxLuvr, anonymous, SaphirePhoenix, lovefatedestiny, destiny-penguin, valianttoasters, P260even, Amy, instrument trio, 2, and MustBeEmo **for all your fab reviews.

(Pokes head out of bunker) Is it safe to come out yet?


	35. Loyalty of the Leaf

Disclaimer: Naruto not mine. Read. Enjoy. Leave cookies.

**Loyalty of the Leaf**

**Chapter 35**

Raidon caressed soft skin with a contented smile curling his lips. She really was a beautiful woman and seducing her trust all those years before had been a pleasure. While he **had** been hired to retrieve her for the Daimyo, he had altogether different plans in mind.

Nogitarou was a weak man if he was unable to control the growing conflict within the Ryuusen Clan. He lost his best assassin to the internal power struggle, but at least the Clan was smart enough to spare the child. Sorano was the only one who could summon the Clan Guardian, provided she ever learned to control her gift at all. They were fools to underestimate her and he wasn't surprise they preferred everyone to think she was dead rather than know that the Ryuusen Fire was incapable of holding onto a mere child.

There was a legend that said the Wind could not be controlled. He never did get the chance to learn the details and the family scrolls had long since disappeared, so there was no confirming this. But it was obvious the Wind branch of the Ryuusen Clan honestly believed in their absolute freedom for only individually would they make oaths to the Daimyo when it was their turn to serve, leaving each member the right to decide.

It was odd things like this that made him wonder about the validity of the legend. After all, Sorano had been a child of nine incapable of even the simplest jutsus when she escaped from her parent's murderers, powerful nins every last one of them. And she survived all those years on her own, growing in strength. It was still a mystery how she ever managed to learn all that she did on her own.

There was also the fact that when she ran from him four years ago, he had never been able to find a trace of her since. The woman was a force to be reckoned with and he would have recommended killing her over trying to control her if the prospect of power beyond his own imagining was not so tempting.

Sorano was strong, yes, deadly, absolutely. But she was also a woman of great emotion and he was convinced the damage she had dealt herself over the years was irreparable. There were many nights he held her in his arms, soothing her nightmares back then. Anything he asked of her, she would have done. She was so desperate for love, acceptance, forgiveness, and he could see she still was.

The confidence she regained while living in the Village Hidden in the Leaves had been shattered with one blow. She could not escape her past and the peace-minded shinobi of Konoha could never accept someone with the blood of her own kin on her hands, especially the Uchiha.

Raidon chuckled softly at the memory of their expressions, so much shock and horror. Sorano always did give off the impression of vulnerability and innocence and all three of those fools had fallen for it. They would die in disgrace and he would become a very rich, very powerful man.

With the power of the Ryuusen Clan Guardian at his fingertips, he would take the Land of Earth as his own. Perhaps he might even make Sorano his bride as a reward for her cooperation. She would make a fine lady, having been raised with courtly manners, and she would give him strong children of the Wind. He would consider the making of them a perk.

"Poor child," he murmured as he continued to caress her features. "Always left behind, always abandoned." He knew she could hear him despite the drug that flowed through her veins. He didn't want her unconscious, but he couldn't take the risk of her recovering her chakra outside of the cell either. She was too weak to even pull away from his touch and slipped easily and seamlessly into his genjutsu.

His touch made her skin crawl and his words only drove the knife deeper into her heart. _But they will live._ It was her only consolation and she clung to it fervently.

"Do you remember the first time we met," Raidon spoke behind her and she distantly remembered lying on a bed and not standing in the wilderness of the Land of Wind, but it was only a fleeting thought.

"You were so fragile. I feared for your life," his voice slipped an octave, deep and warm.

"I wanted to die," she murmured.

"But I wanted you to live," he said and she shivered as he stroked her arm. "You have become _precious_ to me."

Tears pricked at her eyes. No one had ever said such words to her, but she remembered a look in silver eyes that spoke volumes more. Looking up into the sky, she felt her sorrow ease at the sight of the moon, bright and full in the darkness.

Raidon frowned when the scenery shifted into night. It had not been out of any command of his own which meant Sorano had done it. Her thoughts could influence the dreamscape of the genjutsu, but he had ultimate power in the end.

Soft shuffling caught Sorano's attention and she looked into the darkness to see three men walking towards her. Her heart skipped a beat and she stepped towards them, steadily moving quicker until she was running. There was her hope, her forgiveness, her sanctuary…

Something struck her hard in the chest and she slammed to the ground with a startled gasp. Looking up with wide eyes, she found herself burned with hatred and anger in three shades.

"Traitor." Eyes of black…

"Liar." Eyes of blue…

Eyes of silver said nothing at all. They stared right through her before looking away with tangible contempt. She was not worthy of his words and he would spare her none for she had deceived them all.

"Forgive me," she begged, but they only turned away, leaving her in the darkness, in the barren wilderness of her heart. "Please," she cried.

Arms wrapped around her, warm and familiar and she instinctively turned into his chest.

"You are not alone, child," Raidon whispered as he stroked her hair. "I will never let you be alone again. Stay with me, rule with me…"

Over her choking sobs, she whispered desperately into his shirt. "I don't want to be alone."

* * *

"Rasengan!"

Raidon threw his arms over his face as the wall exploded in ten million pieces. When the dust and debris settled, he stared in shock at the blonde shinobi that **should** have been dead by now. His eyes were glowing a fierce feral red and he grinned, baring inhumanly sharp canines. Behind him stood the Hyuuga and the Uchiha and they both looked equally pissed.

"How did you escape?" he demanded. They were chakra bound and locked in the chakra-drain cell. It was impossible for them to have escaped let alone locate him and get past his guards **and** the illusion protecting the entrance to the room.

The blonde had torn a gaping hole through the wall and bodies littered the floor behind them. For a moment, Raidon thought he was in a genjutsu himself.

"You have something that belongs to us," Naruto snarled. It was taking all his control not to rip the man's head off, but he had already agreed to leave that honor to Neji.

The Hyuuga stepped into the room and looked past Raidon to Sorano's still form.

"I've worked too hard to let you punks ruin this," Raidon growled as he started making hand signs.

Neji activated his Byakugan and shot towards him without hesitation. He didn't want to talk; he wanted to kill. Having no time to complete his jutsu, Raidon dodged and skillfully blocked Neji's attacks, but he was being effectively pushed away from Sorano. He laughed at their efforts and Neji clenched his teeth.

"What's so amusing," he demanded at his hands flew with lightening speed, sealing off chakra points before the man could even hope to use ninjutsu.

"Even if I die, you can't save her," Raidon said with growing hysteria. The Hyuuga's movements were furiously fast and he could just barely keep up. Within the confines of the room he didn't stand a chance and reinforcements were too much to hope for when there were suddenly so **many** clones of the blonde shinobi standing in the way. Still, he would have the last victory.

"Only I can free her from the genjutsu," he laughed and just barely managed to leap back from a dangerous blow.

Neji paused in his attack and took a swift glance of his surroundings without ever taking his eyes off his opponent. Naruto was holding his own with his Shadow Clones and guarding their backs. Sasuke had made his way over to Sorano during the distraction.

"Sasuke?"

"I'll take care of it," the Uchiha grunted as he dragged Sorano onto his back, gritting his teeth against the pain. The feeling was just coming back into his left arm and the tingling pain shooting up into his wound set his teeth on edge, but he had more than enough rage to bear him through it.

"And what do you hope to do," Raidon snorted. "Not even the Sharingan can save her from her own mind!"

Sasuke smirked at the man as he gripped Sorano tightly. "Don't underestimate the power of the Uchiha Clan," he said and cleanly side-stepped a body as it hurtled across the room and through the opposite wall courtesy of Naruto. Turning on his heal, Sasuke strode through the newly formed exit without looking back.

Raidon seethed and sneered at the Hyuuga before him. "She's already broken."

Neji's eyes narrowed sharply as he slipped into stance. "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" He struck lighting fast. "Two palms, four palms, eight palms!"

Raidon's body jolted back with the force of chakra ripping through his body.

"Sixteen palms!"

Muscles tore.

"Thirty-two palms!"

Organs ruptured.

"Sixty-four palms!" With every ounce of fury he possessed, Neji slammed him through the wall. Breathing heavily from the exertion and strain on his own chakra, Neji slowly drew himself up from his follow through. Raidon's chakra system had been obliterated with the excessive force of his attack, but the man still managed a few strangled, gurgling breaths.

"She…was…mine…first," Raidon rasped, blood trickling from his lips.

Watching the light dim in his enemy's eyes, Neji smirked with satisfaction. "She's mine now."

* * *

"I don't want to be alone," Sorano whimpered over and over as she rocked herself and cried in the barren wilderness. Even Raidon had abandoned her to the darkness.

"I thought you were done being pathetic."

Her head snapped up at the familiar voice full of dark cadence, dangerous black silk. But he had just left her not long ago, they all had. There was no forgiveness in their eyes.

"I don't want to be alone," she whispered again, clinging to the only thing that felt real, her fear.

The ground crunched beneath his feet and a shadow fell over her huddled form as he stalked around her. Kneeling slowly, he caught her despairing gaze, at once desperate and pleading.

"You were never alone," he said as he held out his hand towards her. There was only so much he could do. The rest was up to her.

Sorano considered the man before her and what he offered, what he promised. He was the only warm thing in this desolate place, the only thing beyond the pain that was real.

"_Control the darkness or it will control you."_

She took his hand and everything spun out of control.

Sasuke sucked in his breath sharply when the genjutsu shattered, brutally shoving him back into reality. The woman in his arms stirred and opened her eyes slowly. When they focused on him, he offered a faint, weak smile before collapsing into oblivion, his body having reached its absolute limit.

Sorano caught his shoulders as he slumped, still reeling from the change of illusion to reality and what it meant. They had not abandoned her as she had asked them to, expected them to once hearing about the true extent of her revenge. Sasuke had depleted his chakra to break her from the genjutsu with his Sharingan, and with his injuries and the poison already weakening his body…

His arms were still around her when he passed out so she pulled his limp body down and pillowed his head on her chest. Hugging him close, she clenched her fingers in his thick raven locks, willing him to be all right. She didn't want to lose him, any of them, ever again.

Neji and Naruto found her ten minutes later, weeping silent tears into Sasuke's hair.


	36. Breathe For a Moment

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, check. Own Sorano, check. Bunker door secured and barricaded, check. Shinobi army as back up, check.

Okay, _now_ you can start reading.

**Breathe For a Moment**

**Chapter 36**

"We need to get out of this rain," Neji yelled over the roar of thunder as they ran along the forest floor.

He and Naruto had doubled back to retrieve their supplies and weapons before meeting up with Sasuke and Sorano. Seeing Sasuke had burned up the last of his chakra to save Sorano, Naruto muttered, "Show-off," and slung his unconscious friend onto his back.

Sorano was awake and coherent, to their relief, but very weak and equally reserved. She didn't say a word, but submissively complied when Neji pulled her onto his back. Shortly after they started moving, the heavens opened up and they were all drenched to the bone inside a minute. The only thing to remain dry was his pack sandwiched between his and Sorano's body. Her own was slung over her shoulders while she clung to him and Naruto had done the same with Sasuke.

They had no idea where they were and had simply picked a direction to put distance between them and the enemy's stronghold. Neji couldn't pick up anything with his Byakugan and he didn't have enough chakra to extend it beyond a short radius.

"I smell smoke," Naruto paused and sniffed the air. "I think there's a town to the east of us."

Neji quickly changed direction. If there was one thing he had learned to never question, it was Naruto's nose. His sense of smell was as strong as Kiba's and where there was smoke there was warmth and likely shelter. Sorano was shivering badly now and he squeezed her leg gently in silent reassurance.

_I'll get you out of this, get you warm again._

After an hour's hard run, they finally broke through the trees into a small village already huddled down to weather the storm. It wasn't big enough to boast an inn, but there was a tavern with a few rooms to spare for an ostentatious price. Neji was in no mood to haggle with the owner with Sorano's violent shaking vibrating through his body. The small dingy rooms were warm and dry and that's all he could ask for at the moment.

"Naruto…"

"No worries," the blonde grinned as he shifted Sasuke's unconscious form on his back. "Hinata loaded me up on ointment and stuff, so I'll patch him up good as new. You just worry about Sorano-chan."

Neji nodded sharply and stepped into his room, closing the door to create a small oasis from the world outside. Kneeling on the stain splattered floor, he carefully eased Sorano off his back and was relieved to see she was wide awake, not that one could have slept through an icy downpour. Her body shook uncontrollably, teeth chattering while water dripped from her hair and clothes to pool on the floor. Even still he couldn't help thinking that she was so very beautiful.

"We have to get you out of those clothes," he said as he tossed his pack on the bed and strode into the bathroom. There were two towels of undistinguishable color and the place was about as clean as the forest they just left, but if it had hot water it would beat any palace. He turned on the spout and water shot and sputtered through the shower nozzle before falling in a semi-steady stream. Within seconds, steam was curling up from the tub. Leaving it to run, he hurried back to Sorano who had remained exactly where he left her.

"I th-think m-my c-c-clothes are w-w-wet," she chattered as she stared over her shoulder at her sopping backpack.

Trying not to show his amusement over her unintentional Hinata impression, Neji forced her to uncurl her arms from around her body and helped her slip the pack off. It might as well have been dropped in a river and he didn't even bother to check to see if her clothes were usable.

"My pack is still dry," he said as he pulled it toward him and quickly fished out his spare clothes.

"W-what w-will you w-wear," she asked.

"I'll take the pants, you take the shirt," he said. It would have to do for now. Grasping her arm, he led her into the bathroom and set his neatly folded black jonin shirt on the sink (which in his mind looked only slightly safer than the toilet).

Now, the Hyuuga prodigy had dealt with many challenges throughout his life. He had defied his own fate as a member of the Branch Family and gained unmitigated respect within the clan, killed his first jonin rank enemy when he was fourteen (spiders **still** gave him the heebie jeebies), endured countless lectures on the "spring-time of youth", claimed jonin at sixteen, Anbu Captain at seventeen, and had numerous A-rank and S-rank missions on his record.

But he had never **ever** undressed a woman.

Despite the heat emanating from the steam of the shower, Sorano continued to shiver violently and she was looking up at him with the most vulnerable, trusting eyes he had ever seen.

Swallowing hard, Neji lifted his hand towards her and then immediately dropped it. It had been a while since she had tensed at his touch, they had shared one sweet kiss in front of the monument, and he had graced her skin with a few more, but there had been no time for their relationship, whatever it might be, to progress further.

He was not a coward who would hide from his own feelings. He knew he loved her as he had never loved anyone, but her feelings were still largely unknown. She trusted him and found comfort in his presence, but this could also be said of Sasuke and Naruto.

A particularly violent shiver racked her body and he scowled. Here he was feeling insecure and contemplating the nuances of their relationship while she was freezing before his eyes. It was obvious she was too cold to even move.

Narrowing his eyes with fixed determination, he reached for the first button with a steady hand. He held her gaze with his own, never once looking away as his dexterous fingers worked down the row of buttons on the front of her shirt, occasionally brushing against soft, icy skin. It was so very tempting to stare at the delicious curves being revealed, but he remained focus solely on her eyes. Sorano had suffered enough indignity throughout the day. The last thing she needed was a hormonal male taking advantage of her in a most fragile state.

Her eyes softened as they stared into his, appreciating his efforts to preserve her dignity. Each time his fingers brushed against her skin, heat shot straight through her. She felt like an ice cube and he radiated warmth despite being soaked as badly as her.

Finally his soft touch slipped away from her. "Can you handle the rest on your own?" he asked quietly and she nodded jerkily, amused with the gentle pink glow in his cheeks. She never considered that he just might be as innocent as her when it came to these things. It was sweet and comforting.

Neji marched himself out of the bathroom, closed the door and let out a long, low, weary sigh. She really was going to be the death of him.

While he waited his turn with the shower, he emptied her pack and laid her clothes out to dry. When he and Naruto retrieved their belongings, he had stored Sorano's weapons in his own pack to keep her load light, so they remained dry and undamaged. He was setting them beside the rest of her things when the bathroom door opened.

Glancing up, Neji froze like a deer in the crosshairs. He had seen her in everyday wear, a skirt and blouse, a formal kimono, and a silken sleeping gown that left little to the imagination. All of them paled in comparison to seeing her standing there wearing nothing but his jonin shirt. It was large on her, falling to about mid-thigh, the dark color contrasting sharply with her pale skin and exposing miles of finely muscled leg. It was impossible to keep his eyes from roving over her and he was struck with a fiercely possessive desire to make certain she never wore any other man's clothes as she was now wearing his.

She curled her hands up in the long sleeves and held them close to her chest as she crossed the small room to the shabby bed.

"There isn't anything _living_ in there, is there?" she asked as she warily eyed the worn blankets.

Neji smirked and activated his Byakugan. "It's clear."

She shot him a tired, but grateful look and crawled under the covers while he took his portion of dry clothing and entered the bathroom. He wasn't so sure he needed a _hot_ shower anymore…

* * *

Sorano listened to the sound of running water and tried to relax into the musty pillows.

They had come for her. Even now, hours after being pulled from Raidon's genjutsu by the one she though would never forgive her, she had trouble believing it. Weren't they supposed to hate her for concealing the truth?

"_Traitor."_

"_Liar."_

No, that was Raidon's illusion. There had been no hate or betrayal in Sasuke's eyes when she woke up in his arms, Naruto's smile was just as warm, if not warmer, and Neji's touch remained gentle and caring. They understood the depths of her pain, the betrayal she suffered at the hands of her own clan, and the justice she had wrought back on them.

"_You were never alone."_

Sorano tucked her face down into the shirt she wore and breathed deeply of Neji's familiar masculine scent, feeling an intense sense of calm and peace wash over her. Never again did she want to experience the suffocation of isolation, alone in pain and joy. She longed for the fire smoldering behind quicksilver eyes to consume the remnants of her barriers and make her a whole living person once more. If her fear remained a cold, lonely thing, then she would embrace all that was warm and wild and banish it from her heart to bear the burden of solitude no more.

The door to the bathroom opened and she listened to Neji's near silent steps pad around to the opposite side of the bed. The light clicked off and the bed and blankets shifted with his added weight.

"Are you warm enough?" he asked quietly.

"No," she said as a tremor shook her.

Neji wrapped his arms securely around her, draped a leg across hers, and buried his face against her neck. "Better?" he asked, his breath tickling her skin.

The man radiated heat like an oven and she pressed back into him eagerly. "Yes."

Neji sighed, finally able to relax now that she was back in his arms where he could keep her safe. He was beginning to think the woman had a propensity for trouble, much like Sakura did. Poor Sasuke had his work cut out keeping that bull-headed woman safe.

"How did you escape," Sorano broke the silence with her growing curiosity. When she was taken from them, they were all chakra bound and confined in a chakra draining cell. It shouldn't have been possible.

"Sasuke," Neji said and smirked with amusement when she started.

"Sasuke?" she echoed. "But he was barely conscious!"

"People really should know better than to piss him off," Neji murmured. "He blasted his chakra bindings with Chidori. It really did a number on his chakra pathways, but it worked. Naruto and Sasuke took out the guards and we came to find you." It was a rather concise version of what happened. Naruto would happily give her the blow by blow later.

"Is he going to be all right?"

"He's too stubborn to die from a couple wounds and chakra exhaustion," he said with absolute confidence. "Naruto will patch him up."

Sorano mulled this over for a while before asking the question he anticipated most.

"And Raidon?"

Hugging her tighter, he nuzzled her neck and softly kissed her skin. "Don't worry about him anymore."

Sorano released a shaky breath of mixed relief and pain. Raidon's betrayal had left an indelible scar on her heart. At a time when she had been weak and despairing, he had been there with kind words and soft touches. Even knowing now that he was only manipulating her, she could still remember with crystal clarity the comfort she found in his arms when the nightmares were too much. As long as he was alive he would be a danger she would never possess the courage or power to stop.

Her fingers curled around his bare arm, reveling in the strength that exceeded her own. "Thank you."

Neji eyes softened and he kissed her once more on the neck. "Go to sleep, Sorano. We're going home tomorrow."

_Home._ It was there, waiting for her with smiling eyes, kind laughter, smirking arrogance, and warm embraces. Home, with him, with them. There was nothing she wanted more than to surrender to Neji's protection and guidance, to rest forever in his loving arms and forget all the pain and hatred the world had dealt her. She was weary of fighting, but the unspoken promises hidden in tender kisses were not yet within her reach.

Sorano lay awake for hours listening to Neji's soft, even breaths and soaking in the feel of his lean strength pressed against her back, memorizing the scent of forest rain and the fire he lit inside her each time skin brushed against skin. Each passing minute chained her more securely to him and in the end she knew the path had been carved in her heart long before she ever decided to walk it.

* * *

When Hyuuga Neji woke up the next morning, he was alone. His jonin shirt was folded neatly beside him and when he picked it up, he could still smell her.

A quick glance around the room confirmed his worst fears. Her pack and her weapons were gone.

Dressing quickly and grabbing up his pack, he walked across the hall and pounded on the door. A very pale Uchiha answered with a raised brow.

"Sorano's gone," Neji said as he pushed past him.

"What!" Naruto shot up in bed and blinked his bleary eyes frantically. "What do you mean gone?"

Neji paced the room like a caged panther. "I mean she took her pack and weapons and left!"

"Where did she go?" Naruto wondered as he jumped out of bed and quickly put his sandals on.

"You tell me."

Naruto didn't like to be compared to a tracking dog, but he was as good as one. Sorano had almost an hour's lead on them, but her distinguished scent was easy to follow for someone with his heightened sense of smell.

Sasuke refused to be left behind, saying he was tired but battle ready. Neji didn't want to waste time arguing, so he didn't.

"It looks like she's heading Northeast," Naruto said after they had been following her trail for several miles. "Why would she—." Something flew through the corner of his vision and he jerked back as a kunai missed him by inches, sinking deep into the tree beside him.

Neji activated his Byakugan, but saw no one.

"You triggered a trap."

"Some trap," Naruto snorted. "Only one kunai? It didn't even come close to hitting me."

"It wasn't suppose to," Sasuke said as he yanked the kunai loose and held it up for them to see. Tied to the end was a white feather.

"Why would Sorano set a trap for us?" Naruto scratched his head in confusion.

"Because she doesn't want us to follow, moron," Sasuke said.

"She's going back to Earth Country," Neji said with dawning realization.

"What!" Naruto shrieked and the prodigies winced. "After all we went through to keep her safe? Why would she go there now?"

Sasuke twirled the kunai around his finger then tossed it to Neji as he walked past, back the way they had come. "Unfinished business."

Naruto turned worried eyes on Neji who stared blankly at the kunai. She didn't stay to say goodbye because she knew they would not have left her go. Once the Daimyo learned of the failure of the Hidden Rock's attempt to retrieve her, he would take the easier and safer path and have her hunted and killed.

She would never be safe, those close to her would never be safe, and Sorano would never rest knowing this. Looking up into the forest stretching off towards the Land of Earth, Neji caught sight of a flurry of movement, a familiar eagle stretching its wings up into the sky.

A deeply ingrained sense of duty stayed his feet when he wanted nothing more than to charge after her. They could go no further without the Hokage's consent for the Land of Earth was not their ally and traversing the borders could instigate war if they were caught or seen, but Sorano retained no allegiance and could move between borders as freely as the birds of the heavens.

All Neji could do was watch helplessly as she flew beyond his reach and wonder if she would ever come back.

* * *

To my kind, generous, forgiving readers:

**Wertyit-** A ninja can die from chakra exhaustion, but only in rare cases. The body will typically shut down when chakra levels reach a certain point and the person passes out, therefore eliminating the chance for them to completely extinguish their chakra. It's an instinctive reaction for self-preservation because all people have chakra but only ninja actively use it. Someone who _can_ die from chakra exhaustion is Kakashi because his Sharingan eye is always open and unless covered, will continuously use his chakra until there is none left, thus the reason why he keeps it covered. Also anyone with the cursed seal like what Sasuke has in the manga can die of chakra exhaustion while using it because the seals are designed to forcefully draw chakra from the user exceeding their natural limits and bypassing the body's instinctive safety measures. In short, though, Sasuke is not dead in this story.

**VixentheHellraizer-** When Raidon said he was the only one who could break Sorano free, Neji looked to Sasuke first who told him that he could deal with it, thus eliminating the need to keep Raidon alive for any reason.

**Also **thanks to **lovefatedestiny, Sesshy'sChic23, Mattchew, xtraenergy266, lil'rockgirl, TeenAnimeLover, -Asa-Hoshi-, AvidReaderAlso, moogle in paradaisu, FoxLuvr, Mistress Persephone, SaphirePhoenix, Darkangelsdevil, SilverMononoke, pixiedust8831, Bloody-Moon-Rose, KinKitsune01, eternalwings15, star, xKillerxShinobix, Neji4me, and Satta Kurosama **for your reviews.


	37. Wind in a Bottle

A/N- I personally really like this chapter because Sorano finally takes her life back. Enjoy!

Standard Disclaimer Applies

**Wind in a Bottle**

**Chapter 37**

Nogitarou Imari scowled at the report in his hand. A messenger bird had just arrived with an update on the situation of the Ryuusen heir and it was not pleasant.

Raidon and every single one of his operatives had been slaughtered and this was only recently discovered by one of the scouts. Crumpling the scroll in his fist, the Daimyo growled in irritation. This was getting out of hand. He didn't know what ties Ryuusen Sorano had forged with the Village Hidden in the Leaves, but sooner or later they were going to find out about her ability to summon one of the most powerful creatures known to man. Her bloodline limit alone was nothing to sneer about if she was anything like her father.

He personally remembered Ryuusen Sorano as a gangly white-haired child with big eyes, an easy laugh, and utterly incapable of utilizing the family technique. Her father had brought her to the palace a few times and it was expected she would one day take an oath to serve in his place. She was the only successor to the Wind, but she was pathetically incompetent, weak, fun loving, and tender-hearted. Sorano was entirely unfit to take her father's place as head of the Ryuusen Clan, but such flaws had their advantages too.

Though he wasn't pleased with the loss of his favored assassin, it was a small price to pay for infinite power. With the Ryuusen Wind branch decimated, the Ryuusen Fire unanimously swore an oath to him in exchange for wealth and privilege he didn't particularly mind parting with. It was the assurance of having the power of the Clan Guardian at his fingertips that clinched the deal. No longer would he play the political field one assassination at a time. Now entire nations would fall at his feet under the destructive elemental forces of the legendary beast, a beast that would answer the call of one child alone. Sorano was the pawn to be molded to his will, the key to his dominance over all other shinobi nations…and she escaped.

Seven years later she came back and slaughtered the Ryuusen Fire to avenge the murder of her parents and destroyed his right hand of power.

He remembered a legend that his grandfather told him when he was quite young about a man trying to catch the wind in a bottle only to find when he succeeded, the bottle could not contain the power of the wind and shattered against the pressure, cutting the man to pieces.

"The wind cannot be controlled," his grandfather warned. "It is the breath of dragons."

Nogitarou never placed belief in such silly stories, but when a sixteen-year-old girl who once had no skill to speak of single-handedly wiped out one of the most powerful shinobi clans he had ever known, he couldn't help wonder if there was some truth to the legend.

Angrily tossing the crumpled scroll onto his desk, he stalked over to a side table and poured himself some wine. He would put a bounty on her head no man could resist and soon the persistent thorn in his side would be dead. If he couldn't have her power, no one would.

Smirking with satisfaction, he lifted the goblet to his lips and paused, listening attentively for a moment. He thought he had heard a soft whisper, like a silk curtain moving in the evening breeze, but the night was still and he was alone in his study. Guards were stationed in the hall, outside the balcony, and in the gardens below so no one could enter without being seen or heard.

Shrugging indifferently, he drank deeply of his wine, savoring the sweet flavor.

_There! Again, that whisper of movement!_ Slowly lowering his hand, he glanced inconspicuously over the rim of his cup to see nothing but shadows. Some of his candles had gone out, but the length of the wax and wick remained, a small curl of smoke from the smothered flame curling lazily above them.

Cautiously setting his goblet down, he skirted the table with a casual step and started towards the door.

"Leaving so soon?" a soft voice whispered behind him.

Nogitarou swung around, but could see nothing and no one.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"You can scream if you want." This time to the right, but when he looked, all he could see was a fine blue mist dissipating before his eyes.

"But no one will come." To the left, only blue mist.

"The Guards in the garden… the guards in the hall…even the ones on the roof…" each phrase came from a different direction but every time he turned towards it, he was greeted only with blue mist.

"Who are you?" he thundered.

"Eyes cannot see me."

"What do you want?"

"No blade can touch me."

"Guards!" He screamed frantically, but there was nary a sound above the silken whisper of movement.

"No man can keep me."

Nogitarou made to step back and froze as cold steel slid smooth as silk beneath his chin and against his throat. Warm breath brushed across the back of his neck with the whispered words, "I am the Wind."

The Daimyo swallowed thickly. "Ryuusen Sorano."

The blade tilted, forcing his head up and on the fringes of his vision danced snowy white tendrils, confirming his worst fears.

"Your life means nothing to me, Nogitarou," she said icily. "How much is it worth to you?"

"If it's gold you want, take it," he said with an embarrassing squeak in his voice. Even if she had spared the lives of his guards, they would never reach him in time.

A weary sigh told him he had answered wrongly.

"I tire of these games," she said and he whimpered as the blade pressed against his throat, breaking the skin. "If you bring harm to one more person close to me by word or deed, I will bathe this country in the blood of your house."

The Daimyo held his breath in fear of pressing the blade further into his throat when he felt and heard the soft stirring of wind and was once more left alone. Sinking weakly to his knees, he reached up with a trembling hand and touched the thin wound so effortlessly sliced into his skin.

"I am such a fool."

* * *

Kanaida Tohru alighted silently on the thick branch and glanced over at his comrades. The Anbu masks hid all expression but their disappointment was palpable. It had been four weeks to the day since Hyuuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto returned from their mission…without Sorano.

Only those involved were aware of the details of the mission, but it became known that Sorano had abandoned the team the night after completion. Not one person dared to call her a traitor for she had never sworn allegiance to the Leaf Village and was not a ranking ninja. She was free to come and go as she pleased, but it didn't make her absence any easier to accept.

If Tohru had never thought Neji to be a difficult man to work with, he did now. The man was cold as ice, impassive, and demanding. No one valuing his life even dared to speak of the snowy-haired beauty in his presence. With a single-minded focus, the Captain buried himself in his work and drove himself and his men to exhaustion. They all knew it for the distraction it was.

Tohru had the pleasure of watching over Sorano when she was in the hospital and Neji and Sasuke needed a break. She was a sweet girl, kind and easy-going but strong of will. It was easy to see why the Captain had fallen head over heels for her.

But as the weeks past, it was becoming more and more clear that she wasn't coming back.

"This is the edge of our zone," a voice spoke through the radio in his ear. "We should circle back."

"Alright," Tohru agreed. Straightening up, he turned to follow his teammates when a flash of movement caught his attention.

"Wait," he whispered softly. "There's something out here."

Ignoring his teammates questions, he stealthily moved forward until he saw it again. His heart jolted inside of him and forgetting in his excitement to wait for his team to catch up, he dropped down to the ground. In a puff of blue chakra, she was behind him before he could fully straighten, a blade at his throat.

The experienced Anbu operative froze stiff in shock and that was how his teammates found him.

* * *

She was tired and hungry and dirty, and the last thing she expected was for someone to leap down from the treetops, but she acted on instinct and found herself holding a blade to his throat before she even realized she had moved.

Two more dropped down in front of them and she gripped her hostage's arm out of reflex, silently warning him to keep still or risk a sliced artery. The two new arrivals straightened up slowly and cautiously so as not to startle her and she took in the unfamiliar markings on their masks.

"Konoha Anbu?" she asked hesitantly, suspiciously. She was in no mood for tricks.

One of them nodded slowly and she could tell they were regarding her much as one would a rabid animal, unpredictable and dangerous. Shifting her glance down to the arm of the man she held, she rubbed her thumb against his tattoo and was relieved to find it real.

Releasing his arm, she carefully pulled the blade away and stepped back. When he turned to face her, she blinked in surprise and then smiled, recognizing the grinning cat face of the man who had watched over her in the hospital.

"You really shouldn't startle me like that, Neko-kun," she said as she sheathed her wakizashi with its companion on her back. All three Anbu seemed to deflate with relief.

"I wasn't expecting to find you here," Tohru admitted and she smiled weakly as slumped to the ground against a tree.

"Got any food? I'm starving," she said and all three men immediately started searching for some rations. The one with the bird mask found his first and Sorano got the impression he was feeling rather smug about it when he tossed it to her.

Tohru crouched a safe distance away, still uncertain of her intentions. Never had he seen anyone move so fast. She could easily kill all three of them before they were even aware she was attacking if she felt so inclined. Their orders from the Hokage had been to return her immediately if any of them should come across her in their patrols, but Tohru knew _this_ woman wouldn't be going anywhere she didn't want to.

"You've been gone a long time, Snowflake-san," he said softly, trying to gauge her reaction. She looked beyond weary as if she hadn't slept in days.

"How long has it been?" she asked as she slowly chewed the protein bar.

"A month since the others returned from the mission."

Sorano winced. After her little visit with Nogitarou she had taken a detour to retrieve her family's sacred scrolls from deep within the mountains of the Land of Earth. When she had hidden them as a child on the run from her own kin, she had never thought to return, never believed she would ever have need of the written secrets she had long since memorized but could never destroy. The trek had taken longer than she planned, but the scrolls were now tucked safely within her pack, a token of the past for the future that might be.

"Are they well?" she asked. _They are. They have to be._

"Yes."

Tension eased out of her shoulders with the confirmation. Neji assured her that Sasuke would be fine that night and she knew he wouldn't lie to her, but that didn't stop her from worrying with each step she took. Sasuke had been unconscious the last time she saw him and that vivid memory stayed with her all the way to the Land of Earth and back.

Polishing off the protein bar, she tucked the wrapper into her pack and pushed herself up. After half-heartedly brushing of her pants, she looked up at the expectant Anbu. "I'm ready."

Tohru grinned behind his mask. "This way."

Sorano had been following Huntress's lead for most of her journey back to the Land of Fire, but she was more than thrilled to have someone guiding her from her own plane of perspective. The height difference from Huntress's gaze could be seriously disorienting sometimes, especially when she was tired and she was **beyond** tired at the moment.

They moved at a relatively easy pace, but her steps consistently faltered. Each time a steadying hand either from her right or her left would catch her. When asked if she wanted to stop and rest, she shook her head no and said, "I want to go home."

She had no idea how much those words meant to them.

The gates of Konoha shaded in moonlight were the sweetest sight her eyes had seen in weeks. She walked right through without hesitation and stopped to enjoy the comfort of familiarity for a moment. A gentle grip on each arm broke her trance and she looked up at the bird-masked Anbu and then turned to the cat-faced one in question. He only tilted his head and held up a hand. She recognized the hand sign too late and her stomach lurched as they transported her directly to the Hokage's office.

Sorano stumbled in step but was held up by her companions.

"You people have to warn me before you do that," she groaned as she tried to suppress the urge to throw up, her vision swimming in and out of focus.

"Sorry," one said with what sounded like genuine remorse.

After regaining her senses and quieting her stomach somewhat, she waved away the apology.

"No worries," she sighed and then looked up to see Tsunade watching them with barely contained amusement.

"Where did you find her?" she asked, shifting smoothly into Hokage mode.

"Seven miles north of the gate," Tohru said.

"Did she come with you willingly?"

Sorano rolled her eyes at that but kept silent. Tsunade knew as much as anyone that she wouldn't be standing there complaining about vertigo if it was against her will.

"Yes," the Anbu said and Sorano could have sworn he was laughing.

"Very well, you are dismissed."

They both bowed and poofed away, leaving Sorano to cough in the resulting smoke.

"Glad to see you alive," Tsunade said as she went back to the drink she had been enjoying before the Anbu showed up. She was used to ninja popping in and out of her office at all hours, some with more finesse than others, but she certainly hadn't been expecting Sorano, especially at this time of night.

Sorano recovered from her coughing fit and ran a weary hand through her hair, frowning at the twigs and leaves she pulled out. "I didn't kill him, if that's what you are wondering."

A smile flickered across the Hokage's face before she tilted her cup back to savor the sharp taste of sake. "Good to know. War isn't very good for morale."

"Oh, I imagine dealings with the Land of Earth will run smoothly for quite some time now," Sorano said with a sweet smile and wicked gleam in her eye.

Tsunade looked at her curiously. "What **did** you do to him?"

Sorano shrugged as she picked at the dirt under her fingernails. "I merely reminded him that he lives because I _allow_ him to. His life and his death are mine." She looked up then, eyes hard as granite. "If he threatens me or mine again, I **will** kill him."

It was both a warning and a promise and Tsunade was not going to contest it. She could only imagine what method of persuasion Sorano had used and decided to ask for the details later. It was bound to be a story worth hearing.

Glancing over the young woman's tired form, her amber eyes stopped on the Konoha hitai-ate tied around her thigh just above her kunai pouch. Her eyes softened at the faint scratches of wear on the metal plate and knew Sorano had been wearing it for some time.

"Go home and get some sleep," Tsunade said as she poured herself another cup of sake. "Your placement exam is in one week."

* * *

To my plushie readers:

**Darkangelsdevil-** Killing the Daimyo would have solved most of her problems, and create a big problem for Konoha since anytime the leader of a country is assassinated, utter chaos occurs and Konoha would likely have been targeted with the blame because of the Fire Country's shaky relations with the Earth Country. In the Naruto world, these two nations have never been on good terms.

**Also** thanks to **Sesshy'sChic23, lovefatedestiny, Satta Kurosama, VixentheHellraizer, TeenAnimeLover, SilverMononoke, FoxLuvr, Thunder Ring, Space Jam Sandwitch, SaphirePhoenix, Maki Hayashi, and Strawberrylover **for your reviews.

I'm tired. Stop poking me.


	38. Love and Honor

A/N- (stretches) Ah, it's great to finally get out of that bunker. My apologies for the extended delay in this update, but I couldn't give you guys less than a finely combed chapter and my recently purchased brain replacement is still on back order, so it took a while to smooth it out. I haven't written a thing in two weeks either. How depressing.

Anyway, enjoy the fuzziness.

Standard Disclaimer Applies.

**Love and Honor**

**Chapter 38**

Sorano shook out her freshly washed hair as she padded into her little kitchen to fix some tea. It felt great to be clean again and back in a cotton tank and pajama pants, but despite the late hour and her undeniable exhaustion, she felt the need to wind down a bit before falling into bed. Adrenaline still thrummed through her veins from the eagerness to see an end to her journey and now that she was finally here, it showed no real signs of quelling. Her body needed relief, but her mind remained annoyingly alert. One could never truly rest when running about the wilderness alone and her senses had yet to accept the fact that it was now safe to shut down and relax.

So Sorano filled the teakettle with water and set it on the stove, her body moving on autopilot as lethargy started to set in. Just as she was about to light it, she felt a surge of chakra behind her and froze.

Closing her eyes for a moment to steel herself, she slowly turned to meet his burning gaze. Her Anbu escorts must have told him she was back. There was no other way he could have known. The only reason she hadn't gone looking for him herself so soon was because she was afraid of his reaction.

Leaving him as he slept unknowingly a month ago had been the hardest thing she had ever done in her entire life. She wanted nothing more than to stay in his arms, warm and safe…loved. But it wasn't safe for her or for him, not for as long as Nogitarou continued to covet her power and she would have done anything, made any sacrifice to protect this village that had become her home and these people that had become her family. She still felt raw from the force with which she tore herself away from Neji that day but she vented her pain on the Land of Earth and finally severed her past with cold steel.

_This man is too beautiful for the good of my heart. _His hair fell long and loose about him, his clothes slightly rumpled as if he had thrown them on in a rush, and his hitai-ate was absent, revealing the curse mark of the Hyuuga branch family. She had seen it twice before and asked Hinata about it once. Despite what it stood for, she could not help think it added to his lethal beauty.

Smoldering, silver eyes slowly raked her over from head to toe, lingering on a scratch here, a bruise there, evidence of her reckless pace to get home. When an Anbu popped into his room to tell him Sorano had returned, his heart stopped beating for several seconds. He couldn't fault her for leaving as she had done. If he were in her place, he too would have done anything to ensure the safety of his friends and family. But neither could he help fear for her life. So many times he woke up sweating from nightmares, visions of her broken, bleeding body dancing through his mind.

Each day that passed without her return was another stab to his heart. He obsessively checked the scouting reports for any hints of a sighting every day and found no consolation. He refused to believe that she would abandon them and fervently clung to the hope of her return.

Seeing her now in a white tank top and mint green pajama pants puttering around her kitchen as if she had always been there made him wonder if he was still dreaming. There was a faint scratch on her neck and a small bruise forming on one shoulder that she had neglected to heal, but nothing severe. She watched him with wide, wary eyes, but there was a peace about her that had never been present before. Whatever she had intended to do had been done.

The silence was becoming too great for her and she opened her mouth to speak when he strode decisively across the room, grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her fiercely.

A startled squeak died in her throat as he possessively claimed her lips. His kisses had always been gentle, tender, but this was demanding and primal. He was fire and ice and she trembled as he aggressively stole her breath. Only when she felt faint did he break away to pull her firmly against him, wrapping his arms tightly around her as if he would never let go.

With her cheek pressed against his chest, she marveled at the furious beating of his heart in pace with her own.

"Don't **ever** leave like that again," he hissed fiercely, his voice strangled with pent up fear and frustration.

Sorano's fingers curled in his shirt and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply of the scent that was so uniquely him. She wouldn't. She couldn't.

Neji feared that this was only a dream and he would wake once more to find her gone. But with each passing minute of having her pressed tightly against him, the memory of the kiss he had forcefully taken still lingering on his lips, his heart slowly began to calm.

Sighing softly, he pulled back to see her face once more only to find she had fallen fast asleep, standing up, in his arms.

"Some things will never change," he murmured with amused exasperation. The poor thing must have been running non-stop to get back to them, to him.

Careful so not to wake her, he picked her up and carried her to her turned down bed. He had no intention of leaving her tonight and apparently she agreed because her hand was still clinging tightly to his shirt.

Pulling the blankets over them both, Neji shifted her to rest on his chest since the bed was a tight fit and she snuggled into his embrace, murmuring his name with a contented sigh. Smiling softly, he kissed her tenderly on the crown of her head and closed his eyes to find pleasant dreams for the first time in a month.

* * *

He probably should have left her sleep longer, but with the morning light falling across her face she was a vision and he was but a man whose will had suffered from deprivation. Gently brushing a lock of snow white aside, Neji leaned down and kissed her softly. When she didn't stir, he kissed her again and lingered longer. She smiled into the third.

"Morning," she whispered. Brilliant cerulean eyes opened to find him smirking impishly.

"I have decided you owe me recompense to satisfy my honor."

Sorano raised a brow at that. "Your honor?"

"Mmhm," he murmured as he leaned over her, trapping her with his stronger body. She really was in no position to argue, but he wouldn't mind if she did. This was one battle he would not lose.

The corner of her mouth twitched enticingly towards a smile but she managed to contain it. "And how did I insult your honor, Hyuuga-san?"

His expression schooled into one of aloof arrogance, but his eyes held a teasing glint. "You rejected my offered protection."

"Ah," she murmured. "It was not my intention to insult the honorable Hyuuga clan."

All humor vanished from his expression and she felt her heart skip a beat. "Intention or not, the damage has been done."

He had been hurt, she knew that, but hearing him say it nearly brought tears to her eyes. The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt him.

"Neji—."

"I demand compensation," he said, eyes narrowing sharply, "to restore my honor."

Sorano bit her lip nervously. He was deadly serious and it frightened her. "What is it you wish?" she asked softly.

Neji held her gaze silently for a moment before leaning closer. "Marry me."

Cerulean eyes blinked at him in shock and for a moment he feared he might have spoken too soon. It didn't matter. The words could not be taken back and he didn't want to take them back, and he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Her eyes softened then and he felt some of the fear subside as she reached up and took a thick lock of his hair in hand, twirling it absently around her fingers.

"Will you forsake your clan for me?"

Neji stiffened. "What?"

Seeing the sudden wariness in his eyes, she decided she had better clarify. His proposal had been sincere and sweet, but she needed him to know exactly what he was asking for.

"Will you forsake the laws and traditions of your clan to be with me?" she asked gently and he relaxed minutely.

He should have known it wouldn't be so simple, being who he was. Sighing wearily, he closed his eyes in resignation. "As a member of the Branch family, I am bound to serve the Main House. My life belongs to them as will that of my children."

Sorano reached up to run her fingers through his long, sleek hair, reveling in its softness. "As my husband, your life would belong to me."

Neji opened his eyes and stared at her sadly. "It is not that simple, Sorano."

"Hinata has told me of this," her fingers brushed gently against the curse mark, "what it does, what it means. Such things are forbidden within my clan."

His eyes widened slightly. "Forbidden?"

"I am the Wind and the Wind cannot be controlled. When my forefathers made a blood-pact with the Clan Guardian, it was the Guardian's stipulation that the children of the Wind were to remain free and in possession of their own will. We share in his power and it is too great to risk falling under the control of one who would use it wrongly. It was the envy of this power that tore my clan apart."

She stared at the lock of hair in her hand, watching the strands slip through her fingers. "After they killed my parents, they tried to brand me with a curse seal not unlike your own." Her eyes snapped back up to his. "My elemental chakra rejected it. The backlash killed the one trying to brand me and I escaped during the confusion."

Neji stared in stunned silence. Sorano was resistant to curse sealing? Then, if they had children, would they also be resistant to the curse seal? He would forever be a slave to the Main House even after Hinata became Head and put an end to the tradition because his seal could not be removed, but was there a chance that his children, **their** children could be free?

Sorano smiled at his shocked expression. "So I ask again, Hyuuga Neji, will you forsake the laws and traditions of your clan to be with me?"

When she offered such hope, how could he not? "Yes."

Her eyes softened, knowing there was still so much he didn't understand. "Then, yes, I will marry you."

Neji kissed her soundly, feeling as if his heart might burst. There were still so many unknowns between them, but he was willing to face them as she was. Wherever the future would take them, they would go together and he would support her in all her hopes and dreams, give her everything she had once lost.

The significance of the conflict of their clans' traditions was not lost on him, but he would stand beside her and fight for her, even against the will of the Hyuuga Council. She would be his.

He reveled in the feeling of her hands buried in his hair, the softness of her curves beneath him, and the soft mewling sigh whispering through her lips when he parted from them to trail slow kisses down her throat. Nothing could shatter the euphoria in his soul at having her so responsive in his arms, his bride to be…

…except the maniac pounding on the door.

"Open up, Sorano-chan!"

Neji groaned into the curve of her neck. "Maybe if we ignore him, he'll go away," he muttered.

"I know you're in there and I'm not leaving until you come out!"

Sorano's efforts to contain her laughter failed and Neji shot her a disgruntled glare before climbing off of her. Running an absent hand through his hair to push it back into some semblance of order, he stalked up to the door and ripped it open. Sorano was only a few steps behind him when an orange blur shot through the door and swept her up. She shrieked as Naruto swung her around and then proceeded to squeeze the breath from her body.

"I **knew** you would come back!" he said happily, then held her back from him by the shoulders and fixed her with a stern glare. "What were you thinking going off on your own like that?"

Instantly sobering, she met his glare with contrite eyes. "I'm sorry."

He glared at her for a few more seconds for good measure before a sunny grin swept it all away. "I forgive you. But you own me some breakfast after making me worry so much."

Sorano laughed softly. "That's fair."

Despite being irritated with the interruption, Neji could not help smile at her laughter. That painful feeling in his chest whenever another man got close to her was surprisingly absent and he realized it was because she truly was his. Seeing her laugh so freely with Naruto only confirmed the fact that she was well and truly home.

"So…" Naruto's voice took on a decidedly sly tone and Neji narrowed his eyes at the mischievous blonde. "Did I interrupt something?" He twitched his eyebrows in suggestion and Sorano bit her lip to hold her laughter.

"How's Hinata," she asked in return and he looked at once startled by the question and wary of the narrowing of Neji's eyes.

"Ah ha ha," he laughed nervously as he scratched his head. "Hinata's fine…"

Instantly feeling pity for the poor blonde, she smiled gently. "I'm glad. I wonder if she's made much progress at the library in my absence."

"She's been spending most of her time at the hospital studying knew techniques," Naruto said with the confident authority of an attentive boyfriend. "She wants to get back in the field more."

"You'll have to tell me all about it over breakfast. Let me throw some clothes on, kay?"

"Sure," he agreed happily. Once she was ensconced in the bathroom and the two jonin were alone, Naruto turned serious eyes to the quiet Hyuuga. "When did she get in?"

"Pretty late," Neji said, oddly enough not feeling quite so tired as he expected from being awoken in the middle of the night.

"She seems different," Naruto observed, looking towards the bathroom.

"She's at peace," Neji said, following his glance. "We didn't really talk much last night. She was beyond exhausted."

"I can imagine." Naruto murmured. "Tohru said she was dead on her feet when they found her, but she refused to stop. She just wanted to get home."

Both men smiled at that thought.

Oblivious to the sentimental exchange, Sorano fairly bounced out of the bathroom feeling unusually energized. Sweeping up the kunai pouch from her desk, she propped her leg up on the chair to strap it on. "So where should we eat?" she asked as she looked over at Naruto who grinned broadly. "On second thought, forget I asked."

Naruto laughed. "We can go anywhere you want, Sorano-chan."

Finishing with the kunai pouch, she picked up her Konoha hitai-ate and tied it securely around her thigh. "I can't imagine anything else that I want more right now," she admitted with her own grin.

Dropping her leg down, she turned to face them and froze at their wide-eyed stares. "What?" she asked warily.

Both men blinked in unison before another grin broke out on Naruto's face and Neji's eyes softened, a small smirk curling his lips.

"When is it?" Naruto asked as he crossed his arms.

"When is what?"

Neji gestured towards her leg and she glanced down at the engraved metal plate that boldly declared her allegiance. She had grown so used to wearing it over the last three weeks that it had become a part of her. She forgot no one had ever seen her with it until last night.

"Your placement exam," Neji clarified Naruto's question.

_Oh, that. _She hadn't given it much thought since speaking with Tsunade the night before. Seeing Neji again had swept everything else from her mind and the two of them still had a great many things to talk about, but that could wait for now. Tsunade wasn't giving her much time to prepare for the exam so she needed to give it her full focus.

"Next week," she said. "Any suggestions?"

"Train hard," Naruto said.

"But not the day before," Neji warned.

"Eat lots of ramen to keep up your strength."

"Hold nothing back."

Sorano smiled at them, feeling reassured by the absolute confidence in their eyes. "I'll try to remember that."

Naruto gave her a thumbs up in imitation of Lee and bounded to the door. "Let's go, Sorano-chan! I'm starved!"

Sorano shook her head and looked up at Neji.

"I have to get to HQ, but I will see you tonight," he assured her, his eyes conveying understanding that there was still more to discuss.

"See you then," she said and kissed him quickly on the lips before running out to catch Naruto who was bouncing like an excited child in the street below.

With a pleased smirk, Neji closed the door and transported himself home to change.

* * *

To my (hopefully still alive) readers:

**Lil'rockgirl **- Naruto's superior sense of smell is not my own creation but a fact from the manga/anime. Because of being the Kyuubi container, Naruto has subconsciously adapted animal like tendencies. One example is that when he runs through the trees, he sometimes does it on all fours. I believe Jiraiya was the first to remark on Naruto's developing sense of smell but I can't be sure. I do know that in the first Naruto movie that he tells the Princess he found her by following her scent. In the English dub version they totally screwed up this part by having him tell her that she shouldn't run from her fate which is **so not** what Naruto would say because he doesn't believe in fate.

**Just One-** We won't be physically seeing the Guardian, but his existence gives Sorano some serious leverage that she is going to need. One of her clan secrets was mentioned in this chapter and will be fully addressed later and yes, I did make up the legend of the Wind in a bottle. I really like that little story.

**Sangodemonslayer250-** The "Wind in the Bottle" story was specifically about the Ryuusen Wind branch of the Ryuusen Clan. Nogitarou's grandfather who told him the story was warning him against trying to exert control over this portion of the Ryuusen Clan having experienced himself the futility of doing so. When Sorano said, "no man can keep me" she did mean that no one could control her. Her will is her own. At least one of the scrolls Sorano retrieved will come into play soon and yes, obviously now, she intends her future to be with Neji.

**Also **thanks to **ValiantToasters, lovefatedestiny, Sesshy'sChic23, Princesa de la luna, SETxMExFREE, Mistress Persephone, reader ninja, Thunder Ring, loveable-M, Neji4me, SilverMononoke, Lobo-Chan, FoxLuvr, arrowgirl23, Space Jam Sandwitch, , TeenAnimeLover, Aisuhana, and sampsongirl **for your lovely and fun reviews.


	39. Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf

A/N- I've given this a lot of thought and I often wondered how was it Neji became jonin while Tenten and Lee remained chunin and I decided it was probably because since all three of them made it through to the semi-finals in their first chunin exam that afterwards they were judged according to individual ability, thus eliminating the need of going through an exam with a three man team again. So that's what I went with.

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, but I claim Sorano and this five pound bottle of Tylenol in the name of Lanse!

Enjoy.

**Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf**

**Chapter 39**

Hyuuga Hiashi calmly sipped his tea, enjoying the refreshing drink after a vigorous spar with his nephew. Even now that Neji was jonin and Anbu, having fully mastered the Byakugan and Gentle Fist Style, the two still enjoyed training together on a regular basis. The challenge of fighting someone who intimately knew your style forced growth in speed and intelligence.

Observing Neji out of the corner of his eye while they sat resting on the porch of the courtyard, the Head of the Hyuuga clan allowed amusement to dance through his eyes for a second before shielding it behind his usual stoic calm.

"Who is she," he said before taking another sip of his tea.

Neji blinked in surprise and confusion. "Excuse me?"

"The woman you love. Who is she?"

Neji stared at him with wide eyes. Neither he nor Sorano had spoken a word to anyone about his proposal and her acceptance. They had agreed to wait until after her exam before discussing it again so she could concentrate on her training. He had a feeling there were a great many things she needed to tell him and he was only left to wonder how much his life was about to change. Was he really so obvious that even his Uncle could see?

"Um…"

Only years of experience enabled Hiashi to refrain from chuckling at his nephew's inarticulate reaction.

"I was a young man once too, Neji," he said with a hint of fondness in his voice. He had been well aware of the many nights his nephew had stayed up staring out his window in expectation and the extra shifts he volunteered for in Anbu patrol. Then, just a few days ago, Neji showed up at the breakfast table with an expression of absolute peace as if all his troubles had fallen into place in his hands. Those were the most obvious changes of late, but there had been other signs before that made him wonder.

This wasn't a conversation he anticipated having with his uncle, but Neji knew it was bound to happen once their engagement became official and public knowledge.

"Ryuusen Sorano," he said finally.

Hiashi tilted his head to look at him. "The newcomer?"

"Hai." Neji sipped his tea and wished it was sake.

Hiashi's brows furrowed thoughtfully at this unexpected development. It had long since been the Clan Council's hope that Neji would marry and have a family, passing on his genius to a new generation of stronger Hyuugas, but the boy never showed an ounce of interest in any woman and it was one thing Hiashi had refused to meddle with despite the Council's insistence.

He had raised Neji as one of his own after Hizashi died to protect not only the clan's secrets but himself as well and he cared deeply for the boy. As he did with all of his children, he wanted to see them happy in the end. As one grew older, you came to value things differently than when you were young and there were mistakes he hoped to rectify in time.

If Neji truly loved this woman, and he felt certain he did, he would have to present her before the Council at some point. Because of his genius and unsurpassed skill, Neji had earned a place of great respect within the clan from both members of the Branch and Main House, but there were still those that could make his life miserable if they saw fit to. Neji had more than enough experience to deal with such things, but what of this woman?

"I was under the impression this woman holds no allegiance," he prodded and was amused to see a slight smile tug at the corner of Neji's mouth.

"She is taking the placement exam next week."

"I see."

Setting his teacup down on the tray between them, Hiashi stood. There was a matter of personal interest he wished to discuss with the Hokage.

* * *

"Get up," Sasuke growled at the woman on her knees, her heavy panting drowning out his own.

Sorano had decided that the Uchiha was an evil, evil man. It seemed like a good idea at the time to ask him to train her in preparation for the exam. Lee had her mornings and "Sadistic Sasuke" as she called him in her mind, had her afternoons. He worked her hard and when she felt she could no longer stand, he made her get up and do it again.

How she loathed him!

They never spoke about the mission or what had been revealed of her past. Words were unnecessary, the gentle understanding in his eyes saying so much more. They were kindred in the paths they had chosen and it was a bond she would always cherish with the dark-eyed shinobi, even when she wanted nothing more than to smash that smirk off his face.

He crouched before her while she struggled to regain her breath. His Sharingan enabled him to just barely keep up with her Ryukaze, but he aggressively exploited her one weakness, stamina. Her taijutsu skills and blade work combined with the unparalleled swiftness of her bloodlimit could fell even the strongest of opponents, but her stamina failed to meet his expectations. It was something only hard training and stubborn will could overcome.

"Is this the best you can do?" he sneered. "You're still weak."

Her fingers dug into the dirt as she narrowed her eyes into sharp focus. She **was **weak. If she couldn't break past her limitations, what good was she?

"You can't protect anyone," his dark, silken voice taunted her. "You're a burden, a liability in a fight."

_I underestimated the enemy on my first mission and was easily caught in a genjutsu on the second. Raidon caught all of us because I was careless._

Sasuke moved in for the kill.

"Your parents died because of _you_."

In a move that surpassed her own speed, she spun out on one hand and slammed both feet into his chest. He gasped on impact, feeling something crack and a sharp pain shoot threw his body, but quickly regained his feet in time to block a furious onslaught of hits and kicks from every direction conceivable. She was moving on pure fury alone, her attacks faster and stronger than they had been before. One glance into her dark blue eyes told him she had long since exceeded her chakra limits, but she continued to attack him ruthlessly and fiercely until she managed to floor him with a firm kick to the chin.

He hit the ground with a solid thud and decided it best to stay there. His entire body was aching and he felt like an ill-treated punching bag after that last round. Sorano's hits weren't as damaging as Lee's or Sakura's, but she had made every one count. Lifting a hand to tenderly touch his jaw, he looked up at the woman standing over him, fists clenched, chest heaving, eyes glaring.

"That was low, Sasuke," she growled, still shaking with fury.

He smirked and winced. "I know."

Like someone had struck a button, the anger was swept away and Sorano slumped to the ground, bonelessly sprawling next to him. "Jerk."

Sasuke chuckled softly and winced again. One, maybe two ribs had been cracked and his collarbone was most definitely fractured. He certainly deserved it for pushing that particular button. If anyone else had said something like that to her, she would have put them in the ground for good. The words hurt, yes, but they reminded her of what she had to fight for, why she couldn't stop just because she was tired or in pain. So many times his anger and hatred for his brother was all that kept him going, but now he had other things besides his revenge to fight for, other people, and so did Sorano.

Laying there listening to her harsh breathing, he wondered if this is what it felt like to have a sister, someone who shared his pain and was quick to forgive his sometimes caustic attitude.

"You're ready," he said finally.

Sorano smiled, but was too exhausted to reply. It was all she needed to know.

* * *

No one was permitted to tell her what to expect when she stepped into the open aired coliseum, but there was one thing she could be certain of, there would be no audience. This had been a personal request she made of Tsunade and the Hokage was quick to agree. It was in Konoha's best interests to keep Sorano's techniques as quiet as possible. The only ones who would witness the exam would be the panel of judges that consisted of a variety of high-ranking shinobi and village elders, the proctor and the Hokage.

The floor of the arena was quite large with a varied topography. She had trees, rocks, dirt, and even water at her disposal. Having scanned her surroundings with approval, she quickly glanced over the proctor who slouched casually off to the side reading an orange book and looking altogether oblivious. With her life being one big chaotic drama from the moment she first came to Konoha, she had not the chance to meet many outside of her small circle of friends.

This man, obviously a jonin, pricked her interest. He held the casual air of one entirely ignorant of his surroundings and at the same time highly aware. His forehead protector was pulled down over his left eye and a mask covered the lower half of his face leaving very little visible, but Sorano knew instantly that this was one man she would love to watch fight.

Feeling her gaze on him, he glanced up over his book and smiled with his eye in such a way that she could only smile back. _Charmer._

His attention shifted past her towards the doors and she followed his gaze to see her opponent enter the arena.

_Oh, I am going to __**kill**__ Tsunade!_

Up in the stands, the Hokage sneezed.

* * *

He didn't want to do it, but an order from the Hokage was an order. There were any number of shinobi that could have been chosen, but the legendary Sannin was adamant that **he** was the best man for the job.

And that's how Neji found himself standing in the coliseum as Sorano's opponent in her placement exam. The emotions that flickered in quick succession across her face were priceless and her expression finally settled into resigned acceptance. Earlier in the week, before he knew he was going to be her opponent, he had told her that being a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf was not just about strength. It was about skill, intelligence, and determination and he could see the full import of his words hitting her now.

Her first coherent thought, after vowing to burn Tsunade's entire sake supply…

"Achooo!"

…was that she could not fight him. Long before stepping into the arena she had decided to take only her kunai as a weapon. It would be too easy to kill with her blades and she didn't want to take the chance of mortally wounding her opponent, even if it meant sacrificing the rank of jonin. Neither did she want to hurt Neji.

Had it been anyone else, it would have been only a matter of skill and speed and strength. Even Sasuke, whom regularly whooped her in training, or Naruto, whom was the most resilient man she had ever known, would have been acceptable opponents.

Somehow she had a feeling that this was exactly why Neji had been chosen. His presence threw in an emotional variable that would have been absent with everyone else and there were many times when a shinobi must push his emotions aside or risk his life and that of his comrades.

Accepting this, she immediately began to catalogue what she knew of his style. She had never seen him fight, but she knew his technique involved expelling chakra to disrupt the flow of chakra in his opponent. So…she couldn't let him touch her. That seemed like a good plan to start with.

"Whenever you are ready, you can start."

Sorano looked over at the proctor and blinked in surprise. His book had been stashed away and the forehead protector pushed up to reveal a very familiar eye.

_Sharingan?_

Sensing a threat approaching at high speed, her instincts triggered her bloodlimit and she disappeared in a puff of chakra.

_So it's true_, Kakashi mused as he watched the woman vanish in time to miss the kunai thrown at her and reappear again behind the Hyuuga. When Tsunade asked him to be the proctor for a placement exam, he had thought she might have tipped the bottle one too many times. Proctoring was something one of his friends usually did, eager to have a first hand view of the new prospects.

So, being the sensible man he was, he asked her why.

"_You're one of the few who can visually follow her movements."_

Okay, so that made him a little curious. He had seen Sorano around the village a few times, usually in Naruto's company and had heard plenty of rumors and speculation, especially within Anbu. But seeing it with his own eyes…

Even with his Sharingan, her movements were a blur and the Hyuuga was relying largely on deeply ingrained instinct to defend himself from her multi-directional attacks. To someone with normal sight, she must be nothing more than a shifting shade of blue mist.

She was tenacious, he would give her that, and she had gotten a lot of good hits on the usually untouchable Hyuuga, but her movements were beginning to slow and she was becoming easier and easier to follow which could only mean Neji had gotten in a few lucky strikes of his own. This was a good match up. Both of their techniques were for close combat, but Neji held the edge because of his ability to seal off tenketsu. Sorano would be forced to find another means to defeat him and this soon became obvious to her as well.

Sorano decided it was immensely irritating fighting an opponent who had eyes in the back of his head…or something like that. His ability to keep up with her rapid movements was incredible, proving him to be even a tougher opponent than Sasuke because he could actually _see_ her attacks no matter what direction she came from. He was good, but not quite fast enough to block all of her hits and she knew if she had her blades, he would have been down by now. Taijutsu wasn't going to pull it off and the longer they kept at this, the more she felt herself slowing down.

_There's no way I could be out of chakra already. No it must be…_ gasping sharply, she leaped away from an incoming strike and teleported in mid-air to land clear on the other side of the field.

She dropped to one knee, breathing hard and wary of her opponent. The arrogant smirk on his face confirmed what she suspected.

"Done already? I was just getting warmed up," Neji grinned as he started stalking towards her. It was difficult with her incredible speed, but he had managed a few lucky hits and cut off enough of her chakra flow to slow her Ryukaze considerably. At first he had been nervous about fighting her, not wanting to hurt her in any way, but he was really beginning to enjoy the challenge.

Sorano scowled at his taunt and quickly shifted through her options as he drew nearer. If she continued to fight on his terms, she would loose access to _all_ of her chakra and her taijutsu alone wasn't enough to take him down.

_Here goes plan B._

"Water Style: Water Dragon Missile!"

A pillar of water shot up from the small pool behind her and arched over her head towards Neji. It wouldn't kill him, but the force of impact would bang him up a bit. The confident smirk on his face never faltered as he dragged his foot across the ground and spiraled into a whirlwind of chakra.

"Kaiten!"

The Dragon Missile slammed into the whirlwind with an explosive roar. Spinning to a sudden stop, Neji looked up at Sorano and nearly choked on laughter.

She was drenched to the bone and seriously pissed. Not wanting to give her time to escape, he rushed forward to attack. This was fun, but she honestly didn't stand a chance against him.

Sorano let him close the distance before whipping her hands through signs. His intention was clear on his face and it infuriated her that he should think her such an easy opponent.

"Have a taste of the Ryuusen Clan," she growled as chakra swirled violently between her hands. Pulling them apart, she held each at her side, palm down as wind and dirt pulled into the spiraling chakra tighter and tighter, faster and faster to form twin cyclones drilling into the ground with their growing intensity.

The longer she held them, the more powerful the spirals of wind and chakra became until she threw her arms forward and released them. "Ryuusen Wind: Dragon Fangs!"

Neji threw up his arms to protect his face as the cyclones surged past on either side with a deafening roar, tearing deep grooves into the ground and slicing him across his arms and legs. Instinctively he knew had she withheld the attack long enough, he would have suffered far deeper wounds, even fatal. The vicious force of the twin winds stripped him of all movement, preventing any escape from the cutting spirals of chakra.

The resulting dust cloud choked his lungs, but his Byakugan could see straight through it just as she appeared behind him in mid-back spin. He spun quickly to catch the foot aimed straight for his head and smirked.

He forgot she trained with Lee.

Sorano pushed off with her other foot and twisted herself out of his hold, connecting solidly with his chin. His head snapped back with the jarring blow and stars danced before his eyes as he stumbled to keep his feet. **That** was going to leave a mark.

She landed badly on the damaged terrain and felt pain shoot through her ankle. Crumpling to her knees, she bit her lip to hold the sudden tears of pain back and forced herself to get back on her feet before Neji recovered enough to attack. Most of her chakra was gone, many of her tenketsu points sealed, and now she was injured. This really sucked and the bruise forming on Neji's jaw offered little consolation.

Wiping blood from his lip where he had bitten himself, he took quick notice of her determined gaze and the fact that she was now favoring her right ankle. With his Byakugan he could see a hairline fracture along the bone and knew she must be in immense pain.

Noticing where his attention had fallen, her jaw clenched in anger and frustration. _I will see this through to the end!_

In a true life and death battle, she could not allow an injury to slow her down or stop her. Lives were on the line, the lives of people she cared about more than anything else in the world and no amount of pain was going to stop her from protecting them. That was what Sasuke had wanted her to remember. It was, after all, what being a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf meant.

Ignoring the fiery pain, she flung a kunai for distraction and was on him faster than he could blink. Neji fell back startled by the fresh intensity of her attack, dodging, blocking, and leaping over the swift strikes that threatened to maim or topple him. She stumbled back when he landed a particularly hard chakra blow on her right shoulder, but she shook it off as if it had merely tickled and came back for more.

It was clear to everyone this was all she had left but she refused to stop and he couldn't find an opening to pull himself back or take her down without doing serious damage. After what seemed like a good five minutes of rapidly exchanged blows, he found it.

She swung a bit too wide, too slowly, and he grabbed her arm, spun her around back into his chest and pressed his fingers into her throat. One jolt of chakra could kill her at this pressure point and they both knew it.

"Looks like I win," he breathed into her ear.

"Don't be too sure about that," she panted and only then did he feel the sharp point of her kunai digging into his side. Had this been a real battle, she would be dead and he would have been critically wounded.

"Since neither of you is willing to follow through, let's just call it a draw," Kakashi's lazy voice cut through the quiet afternoon air and they both glanced at him as he calmly pulled his forehead protector back down over his Sharingan. "You can stand down now." His eye smiled at them. He would have to talk to Tsunade about getting this girl into Anbu. She was determined, resilient, and everything that was stealth and speed. Not even Neji would have stood a chance if she had been using the twin blades he heard she favored and the fact that she was seriously out-classed without them didn't even faze her.

Neji released his hold on Sorano and she turned slowly to look up at him, her eyes still bright from the adrenaline rush, but so obviously pained and exhausted. Gently she touched his bruised jaw, smiled apologetically, and promptly collapsed.

* * *

To my dear readers:

**Blue moon-** I agree that most Neji stories ignore the clan issue, either having his seal removed or just ignoring the whole issue completely. Since Neji specifically says in the Naruto series that the seal cannot be removed and all of Neji's children would belong to the Branch house and thus be sealed as well, I thought this was something that definitely had to be addressed between Neji and Sorano. Of course, Sorano will approach the matter with her own wonderful flare. You'll just have to wait and see how.

**Lil'rockgirl -** I think once someone who takes the chunin exams gets through the semi-finals, they are judged on individual ability. Just consider how Naruto won his battle in the finals but he didn't become chunin because his battle didn't display the qualities necessary for a position of leadership. So that's why I wrote Sorano's exam as just being a private one on one battle.

**Also **thanks to **Lobo-Chan, Space Jam Sandwitch, animeloverkira, , -Asa-Hoshi-, red roses and love, LuckyDuckyxD, TtoboggI, Spazzed108, Maki Hayashi, ValiantToasters, Cataracta, Darkangelsdevil, TeenAnimeLover, Satta Kurosama, SailorElfGirl, Sugar Highness, pixiedust8831, gumio1, Savvy0X, runjumpfly07, and grand admiral chelli **for your wonderful reviews.

(pats sobbing chibi shadow readers) There, there. I know it will be ending soon, but I promise there is another fanfic on the way… Hey, hey! Don't wipe your nose on me!


	40. Worth Fighting For

A/N- Tired…can't…think…zzz

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto but Sorano is mine…and so is this nice, soft, fluffy pillow…

**Worth Fighting For**

**Chapter 40**

"You have to take notes for me."

Sorano glanced at Naruto's reflection in the mirror to see him sitting on her desk, watching as she secured her snowy locks with a blue jeweled clip. "Notes?"

Naruto shifted nervously. "Well, eventually it's going to be my turn to dine with the family, but," he grinned cheerfully, "it's your turn now so you can take notes for me! You know, what not to say or do, stuff like that!"

Her lips twitched with amusement as she focused back on her own reflection. The white kimono patterned with blue birds in flight had been a gift from Neji after the Hokage informed her, with great pleasure and not a little toasting, that the panel of judges had accepted her into the rank of jonin.

To be honest, she was surprised. Anyone with eyes could see she had held back in fear of hurting Neji despite being so obviously out-classed by him. His stamina by far exceeded her own and she had burned herself up too fast, being forced to rely on taijutsu when her chakra was so quickly and easily sealed off and used up. She could hold her own when it came to defense, but she didn't possess the physical strength to do extensive damage without her blades or chakra.

So when Tsunade told her the judges had been suitably impressed, she had to wonder if the chosen judges hadn't found their way into the Hokage's sake supply.

"_Not many would fight to the last of their strength against the man they love,"_ _Tsunade said with a wink. "__**That's**__ impressive."_

Neither she nor Neji had spoken of their engagement to anyone, _so how did Tsunade and the judges know? They had to, to have stacked the cards against me by appointing Neji as my opponent_.

She couldn't deny the twinge of guilt she felt when seeing how deep some of the cuts inflicted by her Dragon Fangs had been, but Sakura had made short work of them and her fractured ankle. The gang promptly carted her off for a night of drinking and general rabble-rousing at a local tavern after that.

Mass quantities of alcohol made Naruto louder, if that was possible, and liberated a frighteningly mischievous side in the Uchiha. Neji, surprisingly, had a rather low tolerance and had fallen asleep on the table after only three drinks. Naruto joined him hours later after loosing a drinking contest to Sakura of all people who seemed to exceed her sensei's extraordinary capacity for liquor.

Sorano logged a lot of new names and faces that night who were eager to know what the celebration was about and even quicker to join in once hearing they had a new jonin among them. One of these was the proctor from her exam who introduced himself as Hatake Kakashi, the former sensei of three of her friends. Sorano was a little stunned to learn the legendary Copy-nin was impressed with her technique, having added Dragon Fangs to his immense library of jutsus for future use. It would be devastating in the hands of a man with his chakra reserve.

Lee, Hinata, and herself were the only sober ones that night and were stuck with the task of seeing their sloshed companions home and Sorano made a mental note to be wary of future invitations to any tavern from these people.

A few days after that, Neji gave her the kimono and in an adorably nervous manner, meaning he couldn't quite meet her eyes, invited her to have dinner with his family by his Uncle's request/demand.

"Is Hinata's father really that intimidating?" Sorano asked as she smoothed out the fabric of the kimono and turned to face the blonde.

"Well, let me put it this way," Naruto said. "The guy is about as warm as a block of ice. And those eyes," the future Hokage shivered.

"You do realize Hinata has the same eyes," she pointed out wryly.

"Yeah, but she's different! Hinata's sweet and kind and warm…"

Sorano smiled as his expression softened.

"So things are going well with you two?"

Naruto smiled, his cheeks softly dusted pink. "She's…she's…"

Sorano chuckled at his inability to find the perfect word for the lavender-eyed heiress. "I'll take good notes, Naruto," she promised.

"Thanks, Sorano-chan."

* * *

Sorano walked herself to the Hyuuga complex and took the time to organize her thoughts. She wasn't feeling especially nervous about meeting the Head of the esteemed Hyuuga Clan. With the stress of her placement exam behind her, she had been able to give a great deal of consideration to her situation with Neji.

After first seeing his curse mark the night she spent in his arms in the Daimyo's palace, she had done a great deal of research on the Hyuuga Clan and the laws and traditions that governed the Branch and Main House. Back then, it had been out of curiosity, but now it was personal.

Neji believed that once Hinata became the Head of the Clan, things would change. She had the complete support of the Branch family and even many within the Main House. He himself commanded a great deal of respect from both and this could prove to be both an advantage and a hindrance to their marriage.

On one hand, some might appreciate the value of such an alliance while others would fear it. The more sinister purpose of the curse mark is to control the Branch family after all and keep them in line. Many within the Main House would adamantly oppose an alliance that could grant even greater power to a Branch member not to mention the personal spite some might harbor against Neji's inherent genius.

"_Attack swiftly and without mercy."_

She would do exactly that and she would give them no means to retaliate even in the distant future. Neji fought so hard against her demons, living and dead, to protect her and salvage her heart. Now it was her turn to fight for him.

Lifting her chin and schooling her expression into one of calm serenity, Sorano approached the Hyuuga complex, ready for battle.

* * *

_Naruto was right._

Sorano swore she could feel an icy chill emanating from the man at the head of the table. If she thought Neji was a master of the impassive expression, Hyuuga Hiashi invented it.

Very little had been spoken when she was lead in to meet the family. Drawing on a past of courtly training, she bowed in greeting to the Head of the Hyuuga Clan upon introduction and held it just long enough to show respect, but not inferiority. He merely stared at her with chilling silver eyes that startlingly contrasted against the warmth she was used to in Neji's.

His thoughts were carefully concealed when he studied and measured her and she silently stood and waited, her gaze never breaking from his own. For a moment she thought she glimpsed a faint flash of emotion, but it was gone before she could even blink.

Dinner was a mostly silent, formal affair. Sorano could only feel sympathy for Naruto when it was his turn to face the family and hoped his love for Hinata would give him the courage to do so. The woman was obviously intimidated by her father, answering all inquiries about her studies on medical jutsu in a small, shy voice. Her younger sister, Hanabi, was everything Hinata was not and constantly made faces at Neji from across the table in an effort to try his patience.

Hyuuga Hiashi didn't even spare herself a single word, pointedly ignoring her presence until dinner was cleared away. Sorano almost flinched when those cold eyes suddenly fixed on her again after being ignored all through dinner.

"Join me for a private word, Ryuusen-san," he said as he stood from the table.

Sorano fought the urge to glance at Neji or Hinata for reassurance or assistance, knowing this would in no way calm the sudden explosion of nerves in her stomach and might give the impression of weakness.

_Cold or unfeeling, I do not care. Even the mountains will bow to me for I am no mere summer breeze any longer._

Lifting her chin slightly, Sorano followed the intimidating man into his study and kneeled upon the matt before his traditional desk when he gestured for her to do so. Determined she was, disrespectful she was not.

Seating himself behind the low writing table, Hiashi stared silently at her for several minutes, watching for gestures of unease and found only unyielding resolve in the brilliant blue eyes that stared back.

"I doubt you are aware of this," he finally said, his voice an even cadence much like Neji's own when he was being domineering and authoritative. "But I was on the panel of judges for your placement exam."

Sorano's expression faltered for a moment in surprise before settling into understanding. "You were the one who requested Neji to be my opponent."

"I found it necessary to see what kind of woman my nephew deemed worthy of him."

Sorano said nothing to this, not wanting to give him the pleasure of her curiosity. Whether she met his expectations or not would not change her intentions and she allowed this to burn in her eyes. A brief flash of approval flickered through Hiashi's silver gaze and Sorano suppress an amused smile over the similarities the man shared with her betrothed. Neither were men without emotion, but Neji only ever allowed her to see what he wanted her to see. Hiashi was no different.

"I understand you are the only survivor of your clan, the Ryuusen Clan," he spoke when she failed to respond defensively. It was very clear the woman knew what she wanted and if her tenacity in battle against surpassing odds was any proof, she was determined to get it at all costs.

"I am," she said.

"The Hokage refused to tell me any details about your clan and said I must inquire from the source myself." He blinked in mild surprise when she suddenly smiled at him. Sorano was a very expressive person for a shinobi, but he had learned quickly the emotion she showed was not always the one she felt. It was an effective means of deception but there was no deception in this smile, only knowing amusement.

"What would you like to know?"

* * *

"They've been in there a very long time," Hinata whispered nervously to her cousin who was sitting stone still, silver eyes riveted on the closed door of his Uncle's study.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing," Hanabi murmured from his other side.

Neji had warned Sorano in advance that his Uncle would no doubt wish to speak to her alone. She had simply smiled and said, "Good." It left him to wonder when her good sense had abandoned her.

She had been in his Uncle's study for nearly two hours now. After the first hour, Hanabi volunteered to take in some tea in hopes of determining what they could possibly be discussing. Her father, of course, sensed her approach and conversation had ceased before she even opened the door. Both he and Sorano watched impassively while she set the tea before them and Sorano thanked her with a small smile before she left.

Now the end of the second hour was approaching and Neji felt like he was wound tighter than Naruto deprived of ramen. So intensely was he glaring at the door that he jumped when it suddenly slid open. In an instant he was on his feet.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama," Sorano said with a polite bow given to an equal. The three watching Hyuuga's were startled when Hiashi returned it.

"My pleasure, Sorano."

Turning to the three stunned faces before them, Sorano shot Hiashi an amused glance before walking up to Neji and taking his arm.

"Good night, Hinata, Hanabi."

"Good night," the girls echoed automatically as they watched her lead their cousin away. That was just…weird.

* * *

"That wasn't so bad," Sorano sighed when they stepped out into the evening air.

Neji could only look at her incredulously. "Did Hanabi slip something into your food?"

Sorano smiled as she hugged his arm. "Didn't I tell you once you worry too much?"

Releasing all of his pent up tension with a deep sigh, Neji unhooked their arms so he could link their fingers. He liked the feel of her small hand in his. It fitted so perfectly like an interlocking jigsaw puzzle piece.

"So what did the two of you talk about for so long?"

"My clan. Did you know he was on the panel of judges for my placement exam, and was the one who requested you to be my opponent?"

Neji blinked a few times. "That…explains a lot.**"**

Sorano laughed softly and leaned against him as they strolled. She felt so incredibly light and free.

"Did he," Neji hesitated. "Did he ask you about us?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And we meet with the Council in three days."

Neji jolted to a stop and stared down at her with wide eyes. "The Council?" If anyone had the power to tear them apart, it was the Hyuuga Clan Council.

Sorano looked up into his eyes and felt her heart clench at the fear she saw there. There was so much she had not told him yet, afraid to give him hope before it had been firmly secured.

"Neji," she gently took both of his hands in her own and gazed up into his moon-bright eyes. "Will you forsake the laws and traditions of your clan to be with me?"

He wrinkled his brow at the familiar question. "You know I would, but…"

She pressed her fingers to his lips. "Then trust me."

The absolute confidence in her eyes broke his heart. Tugging her hand down, he willed her to understand. "No matter what it is you hope to accomplish, I will forever be a slave to the Main House and there are many who despise the fact a Branch member has mastered the clan's technique as none other before. If we do not submit to the Council's will, if they perceive you to be a threat to their power, they **will** prevent the match."

Twining her fingers in his hair, Sorano kissed him tenderly. "I am not afraid," she whispered against his lips, "to fight for you."


	41. When the Daughter of Dragons Loves

**About Japanese Dragons**: The Japanese Ryu is serpentine in form with three toes to differentiate it from the Chinese lóng, which has five toes. They are usually depicted as wingless, heavily-scaled, and with a horned or antlered reptilian head. Japanese dragons tend to fly less frequently than Chinese dragons and are often associated with large bodies of water, clouds or the heavens. -Source: -

The _colors_ of Eastern dragons are important because each has its own special meaning and symbol. The color they are born with is based on the age and color of their parents. For example, the Black dragon is born of 1000 year old black and gold parents and is a symbol of the North. They cause storms when they battle in the air (Ex: wind and fire hint hint). -Source: _The Circle of the Dragon_ .com-

(Note: I find the information of the above site highly flawed compared to Japanese mythology and factual information and only made use of the color symbolism since it was fitting for my story and appeared to coincide with other sites.)

Both _Ryuu_ and _Tatsu _are used for the Japanese dragon however _Ryuu _literally means "dragon" whereas _Tatsu_ means "flying beast". So _Sumisora no Tatsu_ means "flying beast of the charcoal sky". -Source: random Japanese/English dictionary-

Disclaimer: note the sources of the info above and that Naruto also does not belong to me. Sorano and her Guardian do.

Enjoy!

**When the Daughter of Dragons Loves**

**Chapter 41**

Sorano did not spend the next three days in introspective contemplation in preparation for her meeting with the Hyuuga Clan Council. She spent it sewing.

She was not a crafty person by nature, but her mother had insisted that she spend as much time on the feminine arts as she did training with her father. How ironic that she now used her "feminine arts" to prepare herself a mantle of war.

There were no arm braces, nor hardened plating to protect her heart or back. This armor was made of the finest silk for a battle of the most sinister kind. A sinewy black dragon stretched languidly across shimmering silver, the crest of the Ryuusen Clan embroidered with cautious detail by her own hand. When worn, the lithe dragon encircled and embraced her body, its head resting upon her breast, crimson eyes glinting.

Not an hour before the anticipated battle, Sorano donned the kimono with steely determination and bound it to her with a thin back obi that melded into the dragon's form. She brushed out her snow white hair until it lay soft and feathered about her shoulders before twisting it up at the back of her head and securing it with a clip her father had given her shortly before he died. It too was a black dragon with firestone eyes, the image of the Clan Guardian and her birthright as the heir to the Ryuusen Wind.

Satisfied that she would make a beautiful but menacing impression, she nodded sharply at her reflection, tucked three scrolls into her obi and set forth to meet the enemy.

When she stepped in to meet with the Hyuuga Clan Council, she did not greet them as a woman hoping for their approval in marrying a member of the Branch family. She gave them the sharp, curt bow of a clan leader, the Head of the Ryuusen Wind intent on laying down her terms.

Kneeling upon the pillow placed for her before the Council, Sorano impassively held their gaze until the Hokage arrived to take her place as witness and representative of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Neji was placed behind her and to her right, not permitted to participate unless addressed by the Council. His stoic expression revealed none of the inner turmoil she knew he felt and all reservation and doubt abandoned her.

When everyone had arrived, Hyuuga Hiashi closed the door and silently strode to his place beside the Hokage.

"I wish it to be known to the Council that as Family Head and Guardian of Hyuuga Neji, I approve of this match and all it entails," his cold voice broke the silence.

Some of the impassive expressions before her faltered at the unexpected declaration and a part of her wished she could have seen Neji's reaction. Yes, Hyuuga Hiashi was a stern, stoic man, but even he could not hide the regard he had for his nephew from her. That is why she held nothing back when she spoke with the man three days before. His support was no small thing.

One of the four council members, a woman with a lilting voice asked, "I understand the need of those involved in this betrothal to be present, but I find it puzzling that the Hokage is as well."

Tsunade turned hard amber eyes on the Council. "It is in Konoha's best interest to see to the success of this match. I have also been requested to act as legal arbitrator."

"Legal arbitrator?" another echoed. Sorano decided she didn't like this man for the arrogance permanently engraved into his face. He turned an icy glare on her. "You seem to be under the impression that this Council's opinion is of no importance regarding this engagement."

"I am not here to seek the Council's opinion nor approval, but to ensure there are no misunderstandings now or in the future," Sorano said calmly.

The answering silence was brittle.

"Misunderstandings?" The woman hissed.

Sorano looked each of them firmly in the eye before speaking. "It is my understanding that as a grown man and respected member of the Hyuuga Clan, it is Neji's sole right to choose his mate. Is this not true?"

"It is," a gentle-faced man said warily.

"Then as I have accepted his proposal, our engagement is not up for debate."

The Council visibly bristled. "Neji is the genius of the Hyuuga Clan and as such we hold a vested interest in the continuation of his bloodline. We cannot allow it to be _**diluted**_." The arrogant one sneered at her.

Sorano fought the urge to glare, her hands halfway curling into fists in her lap before she caught herself. Neji was not an animal to be bred for their pleasure! She smiled sweetly and relaxed her hands. "Then you will favor this match."

"Please explain," the woman said before the others could snap.

"I am the last of the Ryuusen Clan and possess a powerful bloodline limit of my own, the Ryukaze. Both Hokage-sama and Hyuuga-sama can attest to this."

"Then your Ryukaze will be at odds with the Byakugan," the fourth council member who had remained silent until then said. Sorano was certain his face was carved from granite. "As Kiosho-san suggested, it will compromise the Byakugan."

Sorano smiled serenely. "Quite the opposite, in truth. You see, Byakugan is an eye jutsu whereas Ryukaze is purely elemental. They are eminently compatible."

Several of them blinked in surprise and the woman glanced at Tsunade. "Is this true?"

"Sorano's rare genetics are remarkably compatible with Neji's," The Hokage and experienced medic-nin said. "I can guarantee each child born to them will possess both the Byakugan's unparalleled sight and the Ryukaze's unmatched speed."

An approving murmur filtered through the Council.

"It is clear now why you are in full favor of this match," the haughty one, Kiosho, tilted his head slightly. "Such a child will be a powerful asset to the village."

_Oh, he did __**not**__ just call my future child an asset!_

"We are grateful for this clarification, Ryuusen-sama," the gentle-faced one said.

"Your approval is appreciated," she said far more graciously than she felt. "However, there is a conflict of law and tradition I wish to address."

"Please, go on," the woman encouraged.

Sorano met each of their eyes individually in silence, assuring them that she was not the least bit intimidated. "I understand all members of the Branch family bear the curse mark and being a member of the Branch family, this would include any children Neji might have. My children, _our_ children, will **not** bear it."

Dead silence seized the room and icy Hyuuga eyes pierced her through.

"The curse seal protects the secrets of the Byakugan from those who would steal it," Kiosho said sharply.

Sorano looked him dead in the eye and asked, "Then why do **you** not bear it?"

* * *

Neji was certain he was going to die from an epileptic seizure. Sorano was challenging the Hyuuga Clan's oldest and most controversial tradition. If their children would be resistant to the curse seal because of her own natural resistance, then why did she not just tell them so? What was the purpose of this challenge, this open defiance?

He realized then it had been her intention all along. She had come to this meeting seeking battle, not approval. It explained the beautiful but sinister nature of her kimono. It was not something he had known her to own, but suspected it had been made for this very moment.

The elders were silently seething at her audacity. It was quite amusing, actually, in a terrifying sort of way. And Sorano, being true to herself, was quick to capitalize on the uncomfortable silence that prevailed.

"This is not a matter of opinion, esteemed council-members, but one of law. True, the curse mark protects the secrets of the Byakugan, but it is also a means of controlling the Branch house." From her obi she pulled out the first of three scrolls and placed it on the floor before her. "It is forbidden to place a cursed sealing upon a child of the Ryuusen Wind."

The others glared at her, but the gentle-faced one glanced down at the scroll before her with interest.

"Is this the portion of your Clan's law that addresses this matter?" he asked as he gestured towards it.

Sorano held the scroll up and Tsunade stood to take it from her and give it to the Council. "It is the blood-pact made between my forefathers and the Clan Guardian. It was the Guardian's stipulation that the children of the Wind remain free and in possession of their own will that the power he has given to them might never fall under the control of another. This includes any and all children Neji gives me."

An uneasy silence fell upon them as each of the council members looked over the contract. It soon became obvious they understood the true implications of what this pact meant. The powerful _**asset**_ they hoped to gain from this union would exist outside of the confines of their Clan and outside of their control. They did not like it one bit.

After a brief, hushed discussion, the Council seemed to come to a decision and Sorano braced herself for retaliation.

Kiosho looked down his nose at her as if she were an ant on his sandal. "We respect the obligation you have to this _Guardian_ of yours and the prospect of children born from such a union is notable, but we have decided that we cannot risk exposing the secrets of the Byakugan to the enemy. You will have to find another to help you _restore _your clan." He sneered the last part and Sorano's eyes narrowed.

"I will have no other," she said sharply. "The bloodline of the Ryuusen Wind will end with me and the loss will be upon your head if you insist on opposing this match."

"It is a loss we can bear," Kiosho smirked.

"I beg to differ," Tsunade interrupted, her voice low and cutting. "The power of the Ryuusen Clan Guardian alone surpasses that of any clan, including the Hyuuga."

The council members blinked at her in shock before the quiet, stone-faced one turned to Sorano and asked, "What is the nature of this Guardian of yours?"

Cerulean eyes stared back without emotion. "He is a creature possessing the power to rival that of a tailed-beast, the Black Dragon, Sumisora no Tatsu."

Silver eyes dropped to the menacing beast displayed on her kimono. With each breath she took, the armored head resting upon her breast shifted, crimson eyes seeming to wink and gleam at any who looked upon it. The stunned silence of realization was a welcomed reprieve from the icy glares and subtle threats, not that it was unexpected. Dragons were a rare occurrence and seldom did they bother themselves with the insignificant lives of humans. To be aligned with one as volatile as a _black_ dragon was virtually unheard of.

"Only the Ryuusen Wind possess the ability to summon him," Sorano added. "This is why cursed sealing is forbidden within my clan. Sumisora no Tatsu's power is his own and for those to whom he has given it."

"To have the protection of such a creature for this village is not something we should sacrificed," the stone-faced man finally said. "I find this match acceptable."

"As do I," the woman and gentle-faced man agreed. Kiosho remained silent for some time, glaring at Sorano. It was no secret how he loathed Neji and his prowess with the clan's technique. It was a comfort to know the prodigy was a slave to the Main House even if his children would not be. Kiosho alone could not annul the engagement, so he begrudgingly offered his approval with the others.

"Very well. The Council will support this union and recognize the blood-pact exempting all children born within from the Hyuuga family cursed sealing."

Sorano pulled a second scroll from her obi and held it out to Tsunade, her eyes remaining on the Council. "To protect both clans from any future misunderstandings, this contract will serve as a legal rendering of this agreement."

The Hyuugas were naturally not expressive people, but Sorano got the impression that this is how they looked when their supper decided to revolt on them. With not a little spite, each council-member, Hyuuga Hiashi, and herself blood-signed the contract and Tsunade as well as arbitrary witness.

Rolling up the contract, Sorano tucked it into her obi beside the blood-pact of her forefathers and pulled out the third and last scroll to gently set before her.

"There is more?" Kiosho growled.

In every battle there comes a moment of truth when a shinobi must decide how much he or she is willing to risk for the mission. Sorano could feel Neji's silent presence like a warm spot of sunlight at her back all the while she debated with his clan's council on the circumstances that would permeate their life once they were married. Only because she was the successor to her own clan was she in a position to do this. After their marriage she would eagerly look to him for strength and protection but this moment, this **battle,** was hers alone and she was going to risk it all.

"This contract states that at the risk of retaliation, those possessing the power to do so will at no time now or in the future, activate the curse mark sealed upon the forehead of Hyuuga Neji."

"This is preposterous!" Kiosho slammed his hands on the table before him. "You dare to make such a demand? He is a member of the Branch family and as such it is his duty to serve this clan by his life or his death!"

Sorano did not bother to conceal her own ire this time and glared heatedly at the man. "Neji will be the patriarch of a new clan, **my **clan, and will father the next generation of the Ryuusen Wind. An attack against him will be an attack against me and my clan, and will be considered an act of **war**." She bit the last word off vehemently.

"Are you threatening us?" he demanded, his voice hitting on something between anger and disbelief.

Sorano forced herself to calm and folded her hands neatly in her lap. "I am informing you of the consequences of such an action. Upon my marriage, the protection of Sumisora no Tatsu is extended to my husband."

Four stoic Hyuugas visibly flinched.

"It is not my wish for there to be enmity or resentment between our clans," Sorano said with a weary sigh. "I have seen what such things can do. That is why I have come today to settle these conflicts of law and tradition before the binding ceremony."

There was nothing she could do with the silence that followed for she had said all that needed to be said. She had forewarned Tsunade of her intentions, assuring her that she was earnestly serious about following through with the ultimatum if necessary. The Hokage was not pleased with the possibility of Sorano slaughtering members of the oldest and strongest clan in Konoha by means of the Guardian, but understood why this demand was so important. Nevertheless, she assured Sorano that should she follow through on the threat without a signed agreement of understanding between herself and the Hyuuga Clan, then it would be considered an act of treason against the village and her place among them would be forfeit. Sorano looked her straight in the eye and said, "He's worth it."

The silence stretched between them and the Council continued to stare at her with wide eyes full of disbelief. She began considering a means of provoking them to some sort of action when Hiashi suddenly stood and took up the scroll before her. Carrying it to the table, he unrolled it, signed his name and sealed it with his blood.

Slowly, as if trapped in a dream, the rest of the Council members each took their turn with the contract until only the Hokage and herself remained. After Tsunade signed and sealed it, Hiashi brought it back to her and waited patiently for her to finish with the ink pen. When she handed it back to him, he met her gaze with the faintest of amusement in his silver eyes.

"I anticipate many grandnephews and nieces."

* * *

Neji did not say one word to his betrothed as he walked her back to her apartment. His head was still reeling from what had just taken place. Sorano had challenged, accused, and threatened the Council of the oldest and strongest clan in Konoha to ensure not only the freedom and protection of their future children but also his own. While the seal could not be removed, their power to use it had been. He could now live freely with the knowledge that his choices, his decisions, his _life_ was his own.

Sorano had appeased some on the Council with the assurance that this was an alliance and should be treated as such for they both ultimately shared the same goal, to serve and protect the Village Hidden in the Leaves. They had parted with the promise to inform them all when a date had been set for the marriage ceremony.

It was surreal.

Having reached her apartment, he watched her unlock the door and then followed her in, closing the door gently behind him.

"Would you really have done it?" he asked suddenly and she turned to meet his searching gaze.

"Done what?" she asked.

His eyes fell to the visage of the beast on her kimono, which oddly enough, appeared to be more amused than malicious at the moment. "Summoned the Black Dragon against them."

Sorano slowly walked up to him, looped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his, staring straight into his iridescent eyes. "In a heartbeat."

There was no uncertainty in the woman before him, no doubt, no fear. She was determined, confident, and ruthless. She had flung herself heedlessly into battle against a beast far greater than she could ever hope to be, to protect their future, to protect **him**, and she had won.

"I love you," he breathed against her lips.

Sorano smiled into his kiss, knowing she would have summoned an army of dragons if only to ensure he would be there to say those words to her every day for an eternity.

* * *

To my lovely, faithful readers:

**Runjumpfly07 -** The difference between **Jonin **and **Anbu**? Good question. There are three official ninja ranks with one sub-rank within Konoha. They are in order least to greatest: Genin, Chunin, Tokubetsu Jonin, and Jonin. Tokubetsu Jonin are "special Jonin" who do not have the all-around Jonin training but rather are trained in specific fields or skills. They are elite specialists in their area and are often assigned as subordinates to regular Jonin. A prime example is the Head of Anbu Torture and Interrogation, Morino Ibiki. Ninja ranking is Village specific, most using the same as Konoha. However, some villages have no ranking.

These rankings are not to be confused with the ranking of ninjutsu techniques which go from E-rank (academy student abilities) to S-rank (Secret: extreme level or Kage level abilities) However, ninja with the ability to use S-rank techniques are often referred to as **S-class** ninja. It is not considered a rank because ranks are given out specifically by villages. For example, Uchiha Itachi held the rank of Jonin in Konoha, but he is an S-class missing-nin because of his abilities. Likewise, Gaara was considered S-class even when he was still a Genin. Naruto could also be considered S-class at this point in the manga progression because of his ultimate form of Rasengan and yet as far as I know, he too still retains the rank of Genin because he has been unable to retake the Exams. A **class** represents skill level whereas a **rank** represents a ninja's placement within his village.

**Anbu** is not a rank but rather an organization composed of ninja of specific rank (usually Jonin) that answer directly to the Hokage. **Kage** also is not a rank but a position and title.

**VixentheHellraizer-** I've always wondered about the whole Head and Council thing too. But I remember that even though he was the Head, Hiashi's decision to give his own life when it was demanded by the Cloud ninja after he killed the guy trying to kidnap Hinata was trumped by the Council and his brother. I think how the hierarchy works is that the Head takes care of most situations until they reach a certain level of importance that could possibly affect the entire clan or something along those lines. It often pays to have more than just one man making those kinds of decisions.

**Also **thanks to **Lobo-Chan, YamiKitsuneKami, joster13, mangafilipina, FoxLuvr, TeenAnimeLover, akai-sora, Darkangelsdevil, star, destiny-penguin, sanya12, Cataracta, pixiedust8831, grand admiral chelli, Space Jam Sandwitch, KinKitsune01, soccergrl15, Riley Lily Nikita, and Neji4me **for your wonderful reviews.

Okay, I know everyone has been wondering who will star in my next story. So, since everyone has been so patient (for the most part), I shall now spin **The Wheel of Characters** and find out who will star in my upcoming Naruto fic. Here we go!

(spzzzzzzzzzz, flip, flip, flip, flip, fliiiiip)

And the main characters are (drum roll)…Tonton and Pakkun!

…

What the? Alright, who has been messing with my Wheel of Characters? (eyes innocent looking chibi shadow readers) Well, I suppose you shall have to wait until I get this thing fixed before you find out who the real main characters will be.

Stay tuned for the Epilogue anyway.


	42. Epilogue Fly

A/N- My deepest apologies for taking so long to get this up. Things have been insane lately and I haven't had hardly any time to write. Anyway, please keep in mind this is an _epilogue_ and not a _chapter_ meaning it is meant to wrap things up. I usually don't do epilogues, but the continuation of everyone's lives in the **Ryukaze **world could have become another novel in itself. Thank you everyone for reading. Special thanks to **Kayli** for providing the quote from Kingdom of Heaven.

**See ending author note for details on my next story!**

Disclaimer: The characters of Naruto belong to Kishimoto, the quote belongs to the writers of Kingdom of Heaven and Sorano belongs to me.

**Fly**

**Epilogue**

_"You are not what you are born to be, but what you have it in yourself to become."_

_-Kingdom of Heaven-_

Sorano lounged in a tree and watched the three young teenagers below with incredulous amusement. The two boys were tangled in a scuffle and the girl eagerly cheered one on while scolding the other. Unfortunately, she was blessed with a shrill, ear-piercing voice and it was a wonder neither boy had suffered permanent hearing loss by now.

From her perch, Sorano surmised the current disagreement had been caused by a few ill-chosen words regarding someone's mother. Usually by now she would have pulled them apart and assigned repetitive workouts that would impress even Lee's abnormal dedication to fitness, but this time she decided to let them have at it. Kio had the right to defend his mother's honor and, for once, was doing an admirable job. His taijutsu skills had really improved over the last few weeks.

She had taken special interest in the vertically challenged boy and spent extra time working with him after the other two went home each day. It was nice to see his hard work, and hers, pay off.

Life as a jonin was busy. Missions had been frequent, but she welcomed them eagerly and was given the opportunity to work with a wide variety of Leaf shinobi. Anbu still haunted her steps hoping to entice her into joining the black ops even after her refusal seven times now. Neji never pressured her in this. He knew she hated to kill and only did so when forced to. Serving in Anbu would only increase such incidents, so he supported her decision to refuse the black ops.

It had been a year now since she had become a Leaf jonin and six months since she and Neji had married. They had a largely traditional ceremony and Naruto had stood as Neji's witness, Hinata as her own. Tsunade officiated. Because she had no surviving family, she had asked Sasuke to stand in their place. He had simply blinked at her for a few seconds, then glanced away and said, "Whatever," with an indifferent shrug, but not all the arrogant cockiness in the world could hide the blush dusting his cheeks. Though lacking shared blood, he stood by her side as her kindred.

Sorano sacrificed her little apartment for her husband's sanity and they now lived in a cozy house in a lovely residential district. Neji adamantly refused to live within hearing distance of Naruto, but the hyper blonde often visited along with his betrothed.

Naruto's meeting with Hinata's father and the Hyuuga Council was not as nerve-wracking as he anticipated, nor as risky as her own. Tsunade had begun training him as her successor so that she could expand on her travels once more and the future Rokudaime Hokage was welcomed into the family without _too _much fuss. Apparently, his lineage was nothing to sneer at after all.

Everyone's favorite pink-haired medic was seldom seen without a smile now that Sasuke had finally stopped being an idiot and made her his own. Of course it took another man moving in on her to light a fire under him, with the ultimate result of a crispy fried shinobi for Hinata to tend to since Sasuke refused to allow Sakura anywhere near the unfortunate admirer.

So strange how things had turned out.

When she had first come to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, she had been seeking, but not daring to hope for, a new beginning. Instead she found a home she would fight for, friends she would die for, and a man she would live for.

Three months after becoming a jonin, the future of Konoha was entrusted to her in the form of three genin who held little skill and much fire. She never dreamed she would be mentoring young shinobi. Honestly, who made these decisions?

It took less than a day to figure out that her three genin were particularly abnormal. Each had scored ridiculously low in one or two skills and remarkably high in another. Between the three of them, they made up for each other's weaknesses…if only they could get along. Tsunade assigned them to her because of her seemingly endless patience (that was currently up for debate), and her own experience as a late bloomer. If she did not take them under her wing, no one else would.

Sorano had a history of defying the odds and saw no reason to stop now. They were obstinate, quarrelsome, wretched little beasts and she had managed to shape them into a team of misfits with a stubborn ferocity that more than compensated for all that they lacked. They would be taking their first shot at the chunin exams next month. She hoped it would instill in them a greater respect for teamwork. Neji had agreed with her decision to recommend them and she was grateful for his faith in her judgment.

Yes, life as a Leaf jonin was busy, but life with Neji was bliss. He was a kind friend and a gentle lover, but had a possessive streak that left her breathless. There were a few times when he put his foot down on one matter or another and if intimidation didn't get him what he wanted, he resorted to seduction, which was irritatingly effective. Of course, two could play that game and the man couldn't seduce what he couldn't catch…

She ached when he was away on missions. The house was too quiet without him, the bed too cold, but she had spars with Sasuke and Lee, ramen with Naruto and her wretched little beasts to keep her distracted until his return.

Glancing down once more from her perch, Sorano smiled to see Kio had finally managed to get the bigger and cockier Hoshu in a headlock, but Aimi had latched onto his ear in an effort to free her crush and judging from the pained look twisting his young features, it was going to work.

Deciding enough was enough, Sorano teleported down to stand over them with a fixed, irritated glare. Her ability to appear anywhere at any time with only a thought seriously freaked out her kids, giving them the impression that they were always being watched and could get away with nothing, which pretty much was the case with her.

"That's enough," she snapped and the three wide-eyed teenagers instantly snapped apart.

"But Sensei!" And Aimi proceeded to whine her excuse for defending her beloved Hoshu who was obviously Kami's gift to women and that Kio had no right to blah blah blah…

Sorano pinched the bridge of her nose to suppress the urge to beat the crush out of the girl. Her patience was drawing a lot thinner lately with the frequent headaches from ignoring her increasing fatigue. Sometimes she wondered if the three teenagers were really leaches in disguise determined to suck the life out of her.

"Go home," she said quietly and Aimi stopped in mid-rant.

"Huh?"

"Just go home, all of you. We start training for the chunin exams tomorrow."

"Really?" Aimi bounced up and down like a pogo stick.

"Whatever." Hoshu shrugged and started to saunter away.

"Hoshu-kun, want to get something to eat!"

Sorano winced at the shrieking banshee that shot after the most conceited member of her team and felt the _tiniest_ bit of sympathy for the boy.

"Sensei…"

She looked down at Kio to see him scuffing his foot against the ground and avoiding her eyes. "What is it, Kio?"

His shoulders hunched and he glanced up at her through his mussed hair before quickly looking away. "This morning, I was…I was taking a message to the Hokage…for my father and I," he shook his head and glared up at her with eyes full of hurt, worry, and resolve. "Are you going to ditch us?"

Sorano blinked in surprise, still trying to make sense of his sentence fragments. "Ditch you? Whatever gave you that idea?"

"I heard the Hokage say—," he bit his lip and looked away.

Sorano frowned in confusion. _He was taking a message to the Hokage and he heard her say…_ "Oh," her eyes widened in surprise and then softened.

"Kio," she reached for his shoulder and he cringed as if expecting her to strike him. He did eavesdrop on a conversation between the Hokage and a jonin after all.

When he refused to meet her eyes, she kneeled and tilted his face towards her. "Kio, I am not ditching you. I just find myself in need of a leave of absence. I will still be over-seeing your training, but another jonin will have to accompany you three on missions."

His big brown eyes blinked at her warily. "Who's going to take us on missions?"

Sorano smiled at his obvious anxiety. Not many had her patience or were willing to believe that one as short and lacking in skill as him had the potential to be something great.

"Don't worry, Kio," she squeezed his shoulder as she stood. "I have selected the best of the best to work with you guys. You don't really think I would hand my little soldiers over to just anyone, do you?"

He smiled hesitantly up at her with relief. "Of course not, Sensei."

Sorano ruffled his already messy hair and shooed him off. "Go on, get. I'm sure your mother will be happy to see you home early for once."

The boy hurried off with a backward wave and she smiled, shaking her head. She had never even noticed his presence at the Hokage's office and was beginning to wonder if Kio's talent might be his ability to remain unseen. She would have to give that some thought.

Thankfully free of the demands of others, she decided to head straight home and have a simple dinner before crawling into bed at a nice early hour. She wasn't intending on telling her genin about her leave of absence until after the chunin exams, but it looks like that would have to change. Their self-confidence might suffer if they did not know the whole truth and believed as Kio had done that she was abandoning them. But first, she needed to tell her husband and that was bound to be an interesting conversation.

He was still away on a mission so she had made the decision on her own upon Tsunade's recommendation, but she would still rather him know before everyone else did.

The moment Sorano stepped into the house, she spied the muddy shoes and discarded pieces of Anbu uniform in the foyer and smiled. _Looks like my quiet evening wouldn't be so quiet after all._

Hearing the creak of the bathroom door, she strode down the hallway to find her husband clad only in a clean pair of pants with his freshly washed hair spread out over his broad shoulders. He stopped in surprise at seeing her home at such an early time and then a slow smile spread across his lips.

"When did you get home?" she asked as she walked up to him and brushed a lock of damp hair off his shoulder.

Neji slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "A few minutes ago." He kissed her sweetly. "Why are you home so early?"

"Lack of patience," she said and he chuckled, having had to listen to her vent about the rug rats on more than one occasion. "Hungry?" she asked.

"Mm, absolutely," he purred as he trailed kisses down her throat.

Sorano laughed softly and wound her arms around his neck. "I meant real food."

"Later," he growled and nipped at her skin only to suddenly find himself spitting out white feathers and his wife retreating down the hallway, laughing. He **really** hated when she did that.

"Well I need food now," she said over her shoulder as she began pulling out something from the fridge. "Did the mission go well?"

"It was easy enough," he said, standing behind her to peer over her shoulder while she prepared a simple meal of rice and fish.

Sorano smiled when she felt his hand lazily stroke her back. The first thing she learned about Neji after they married was that he loved to touch her. The man simply could not walk past her without brushing her arm, her hair, or her back. When they went out into the village together, he often held her hand.

Between the two of them, dinner was made quickly and they shared little tid-bits of their separate lives with each other. When they were finished, Sorano picked up the dishes and began to fill the sink to wash them when a muscled arm reached past her to shut the water off.

"The dishes can wait," Neji said, kissing the back of her neck.

"Now, Neji, you know I don't like to lea—eep!" She squeaked when he suddenly spun her around and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Neji," she laughed as he strode down the hall and into their bedroom. "Put me down!"

"As you wish," he said and promptly dropped her onto their bed. Despite the softness of the covers, her breath left her in a whoosh and before she recovered he was stealing it away again with a soul-searing kiss.

She knew then he had told her the truth about the ease of his mission. Whenever a mission went badly, when a teammate was critically wounded or killed, upon his return they would make achingly tender love. He savored every inch of her body and held her for many hours afterwards while stroking her hair or her back, memorizing her scent and touch. She came to understand it was his way of reassuring himself that she was safe and he was alive.

But when everything worked out perfectly, the pent up restlessness from the lack of action came home to her in the form of fiery kisses and the savage need to possess her mind, body, and soul.

Abandoning all thought, Sorano surrendered to Neji's ardent kisses. There would be plenty of time for words later, but for now, she only wanted his passion.

In slumber, all his cares were swept away and the carefree child he once had been could be seen. Neji had managed to keep her up quite late despite her fatigue, but even just a few hours of sleeping in his arms was enough to ease it. The voices of the past were always silent when he was near.

Sitting up in bed now with a part of the sheet wrapped around her, Sorano watched the morning light play across Neji's handsome features and became so lost in thought she did not even notice silver eyes crack open to peer up at her.

"What are you thinking," he asked as his hand brushed against her thigh and settled comfortably there.

"You are a very beautiful man," she murmured absently and he smirked before gently pulling her down to him for a soft kiss.

"I can't argue with that," he murmured against her lips.

"And conceited," she decided to add.

Without warning, Neji flipped her onto her back and proceeded to tease her mercilessly with feathered kisses along her skin until she was giggling and tugging at his hair to get him to kiss her properly.

"You wouldn't have me any other way," he growled playfully against her lips and felt her smile.

"You wouldn't be you," she agreed as she gently pushed on his shoulders to get him to pull away, but he turned his attention to her neck instead and murmured something indistinguishable that told her if she didn't grab his attention soon, the things she needed to say would have to wait until evening and she didn't want to put it off.

"I spoke to the Hokage yesterday," she said, trying to keep her voice even despite her own rising desire. The man could turn her into jelly just with his voice alone, let alone his touch. A muffled grunt was his only response and when she felt his wicked hands begin to move she quickly blurted out, "She's taking me off missions!"

Neji froze. Slowly he pulled his head up and met her dilated eyes with open curiosity. "She's taking you off missions? Why?"

"It's just temporary. I'm going to fill in at the Academy for a while," she said as she curled a long lock of coffee brown hair around her finger.

"What about your genin?" It didn't make any sense that Sorano would abandon her genin team to fill in at the Academy. Despite how troublesome the teenagers could be she loved them deeply and was viciously defensive of them.

"I'll still oversee their training, but someone else will have to supervise them on missions. I was going to ask Naruto if he would do it."

Sensing there was something very important lurking behind this, Neji tilted his head and gave it serious thought. "He abhors low rank missions but I'm sure he would do you the favor. It would probably be good for Kio." He knew how much she worried about the little runt. Like Naruto, Kio had graduated the Academy with the lowest of expectations, but he had a fiery, determined spirit not unlike the future Hokage.

Sorano nodded. "That's what I was thinking." She continued to play with his hair and avoid his gaze, saying nothing more.

Neji's brows drew together as he mentally reviewed the conversation and realized she had never really said why the Hokage had taken her off all missions. Any number of chunin could stand in at the Academy, so why pull Sorano away from her team? Did she get injured while he was gone?

"Sorano," he gently tilted her face up to meet his eyes. "Why is the Hokage taking you off missions?"

Whatever worry he was building within his mind evaporated when her eyes softened and she smiled. Gently taking his hand, she guided it down to rest on her flat stomach and held it there. Staring into his confused silver eyes, she watched with joy and amusement as understanding fell upon him.

"Sweet Kami," he whispered, eyes widening before he pulled their hands away and activated his Byakugan. Within her, so small he could barely even see, was the small pulsing chakra of a new life. He brushed his fingers over her skin in disbelief. Of course they had planned on having children, but he had never expected it to be so soon and seeing the reality of it with his own eyes…

"How long," he breathed.

"Four weeks," she said. "I was feeling so tired and getting headaches so I asked Tsunade-sama for a check up."

"Four weeks," he echoed then jerked his head up to look at her, the puffed veins of chakra fading from around his eyes. "I didn't hurt you last night, did I," he asked with obvious concern. He was always conscious of how he handled her, even when his desire for his beautiful wife savagely consumed him, but an unborn child was infinitely more fragile than Sorano was.

She smiled and pulled him towards her for a reassuring kiss. "I'm fine, **we** are fine. I just have to watch what I eat and avoid heavy blows to my back and abdomen which is why Tsunade has taken me off missions."

Neji relaxed and kissed her deeply, feeling his heart swell with love for this incredible woman who had given him more than he could have ever hoped for. She sighed deep in her throat, sweet and soft, melting in his arms. He kissed down her lean body until his lips hovered over the womb that carried their child. Smiling against her skin, he tenderly kissed her soon to be rounded belly.

"She will be beautiful like her mother," he said.

Sorano smiled as her fingers curled in his hair. Watching him stare down at her abdomen as if he could see the future growing inside, she felt her heart fly beyond and outside of herself.

"What makes you so sure it's a girl," she asked with amusement.

Neji grinned up at her. "You **would** give me a daughter first just to annoy me and she would be just as stubborn and beautiful as you. I fear for the future of any sons that come after."

Sorano laughed at his logic and tugged at his hair. "And if there are two?"

Neji had been about to continue his adoration of his wife's body when her words made him freeze. "Two?"

"Twins run in both of our families, Neji," she reminded him as he stared at her with startled eyes.

"Yes," he admitted, "But what are the chances—."

"Better than you think," she murmured.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he glanced down at her stomach and then back up at her. "I could only see one chakra signature."

Sorano brushed her fingers lovingly against his cheek. "Tsunade found two."

"Two?" he whispered, eyes wide in shock. One child was a blessing, two were…a miracle.

Neji gently laid his palm over her stomach. "If they are boys, we will name one after my father and the other after yours," he murmured.

Tears pricked Sorano's eyes and when he saw them, he gently brushed them away with a soft smile.

"And if they are girls?" she whispered.

"After your mother and mine," he said and tenderly kissed the tears slipping from her eyes. He hated to see her cry, but knew these jewels were born of joy for the lives that grew within her, a legacy of their own making.

In so short a time she had become his savior, his wife, his lover, and now the mother of his children. Taking her into his arms once more, Hyuuga Neji silently thanked the wind that blew her into his life and allowed them to fly free together.

_**-fin-**_

* * *

To my awesome readers:

**Chaosdragon82- **Regards Sorano vs. the Hyuuga Council, the intention of the last contract she had them sign was specifically to protect Neji from personal attack namely because Sorano knew that certain members of the Main House were jealous of Neji's abilities and also might try to use him to manipulate her and their new clan.

It wasn't just Sorano's threat or her reminder that they should see the marriage as a form of alliance rather than the loss of one of their own that made the Council capitulate as the combination of these with the added motivation provided by Hyuuga Hiashi taking the initiative to sign the contract first. After all, he was the Head of the Main House and the one who placed the cursed seal on Neji in the first place. Also, they were still trying to process the fact that Sorano was willing and more than able to kill them all and make herself an enemy of Konoha for Neji's sake, so they were caught a bit off guard. The benefits the Council had trouble realizing at the time was that the Hyuuga Clan would now be family with the Ryuusen Clan who have the ability to summon Sumisora no Tatsu…not exactly someone you want to make an enemy of, but Sorano was trying to get them to focus more on the benefits the Village would gain as opposed to what the Clan would gain, appealing to their honor as the oldest and noblest Clan in Konoha.

There may have been a more thorough way to explain everything, but as I've mentioned in earlier author notes, this story was written immediately after a very long and stressful hiatus. I'm still trying to get my pervious writing bearings back. Thank you for reading!

**Also **thanks to **Niaka1, akai-sora, Lobo-Chan, sanya12, Kagome093, Rinnalaiss, pixiedust8831, joster13, soccergrl15, Cataracta, destiny-penguin, Tainted Light, Darkangelsdevil, YamiKitsuneKami, lil'rockgirl, BlackWingsOfTheRaven, TeenAnimeLover, Li, Laine, Satta Kurosama, Space Jam Sandwitch, and Fire Halo** for all of your delightful reviews.

Also thanks to all of you chibi shy shadow readers who have been following this story and occasionally poked your head into the light to let me know what you thought!


End file.
